AU$1.55 Billion Upgrade for Western Freeway in Melbourne's West

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 6, the Australian Federal Government and the Victorian State Government confirmed a combined investment of AU$1.55 billion to upgrade the Western Freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs in Melbourne's west. The Victorian Government added a new commitment of AU$550 million, on top of the AU$1 billion previously pledged by the Federal Government. The project will add approximately 30 kilometers of new lanes and deliver capacity upgrades at several key interchanges along the corridor.

Under the latest plan, the section between Ferris Road and Hopkins Road will be widened to three lanes in each direction, while the section between Hopkins Road and Ballarat Road will be widened to four lanes in each direction. The interchanges at Ferris Road, Leakes Road, and Hopkins Road will be upgraded simultaneously. The Hopkins Road works include adding lanes to the Neale Road bridge, improving the Neale Road connection towards Melbourne's city center, and installing new traffic signal infrastructure.

The project will also construct a new partial interchange at Mount Cottrell Road, featuring an exit ramp towards Ballarat and an entry ramp towards Melbourne's city center. Upon completion of the upgrade, the speed limit along the Ferris Road to Ballarat Road section will be standardized at 100 km/h. Temporary traffic signals are also planned to be installed at the Leakes Road interchange first, with an expected commissioning in early 2027.