Drivers to expect delays on Footscray Rd as major West Gate Tunnel Project works begin

Motorists are being urged to plan ahead as construction of a new elevated road above Footscray Rd enters a major phase of the West Gate Tunnel Project (WGTP).

The project will see the two-kilometre elevated road linked with new tunnels to Citylink and the CBD, helping cut travel times between Melbourne’s west and the city by up to 20 minutes. 

“While most of the construction of the elevated road has been done so far without road closures, the next phase involves construction of sections crossing over the citybound and outbound carriageways of the existing road beneath,” a statement from the WGTP said.

“To keep drivers and workers safe while the construction takes place, there will be closures of Footscray Rd in one direction at a time until June.”

Footscray Rd citybound will be closed between Dock Link Rd and Appleton Dock Rd 24/7 until early April.

Drivers can expect to experience delays of up to 15 minutes while the works took place. 

“To reduce delays, motorists should avoid Footscray Rd and use Dynon Rd instead,” the WGTP said.

WGTP acting chief executive Peter Lellyett thanked drivers for their patience as the new tunnel connections to the city and CityLink got under way.

“The project’s builder looked at a number of different ways of constructing the road above the existing carriageways, but that would have meant an even longer disruption impact,” he said.

“We’d like to thank drivers for their patience so far and ask that they take extra care as this vital work continues.”

Tunnel boring machines known as Bella and Vida – the largest in the Southern Hemisphere –

are “powering ahead” with crews more than 70 per cent through the task of digging the 6.8km of inbound and outbound tunnels.

The project is set to “transform travel in Melbourne’s west, delivering a vital alternative to the West Gate Bridge and removing more than 9000 trucks from residential streets”.

A large crane has been building the road since September 2021. •

Caption: An artist’s impression of the new elevated road.