Victoria’s Big Build is to heat up over summer, with maintenance on the West Gate Bridge and major works on the City Loop and Metro Tunnel likely to cause significant delays.
Announced by the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, annual West Gate Bridge maintenance is to take place between 26 December and 4 January 2023, closing four outbound lanes and leaving only one open to traffic.
Ms Allan said delays of more than 90 minutes were expected and she urged drivers to find an early detour.
“Significant delays are expected across Melbourne including on the West Gate Freeway between the city and the West Gate Bridge, as well as the Domain Tunnel, Monash Freeway and throughout the CBD,” Ms Allan said.
“From 9pm on Monday, 2 January 2023 through to the last service on Sunday, 15 January 2023, crews will work around-the-clock in the City Loop to upgrade smoke detection, extraction and sprinkler systems at Flagstaff, Melbourne Central and Parliament stations,” she said.
“Flagstaff, Melbourne Central and Parliament stations will be closed, and no trains will run through the City Loop throughout the works.”
Ms Allan said Southern Cross and Flinders Street stations would remain open, with trains running to and from the stations.
She encouraged commuters who usually got off the train in the City Loop to complete their journeys from Flinders Street or Southern Cross stations by walking or tram.
“To allow the works to be safely carried out, buses will replace trains on part of the Hurstbridge, Alamein and Sandringham Lines,” the Minister said.
“Buses will replace trains on sections of the Cranbourne, Pakenham, Frankston, Stony Point and Sandringham Lines from Wednesday, 4 January 2023, as crews prepare the tracks for when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025,” she said.
Ms Allan said the final construction blitz to remove two level crossings at Union and Mont Albert roads in Surrey Hills would kick off this summer, with buses to replace trains on sections of the Lilydale and Belgrave lines from 17 February to late May.
She said there would also be intermittent traffic lane closures on St Kilda Road and around Craigieburn Road, Hall Road and Narre-Warren Cranbourne Road.
Ms Allan said the Monash Freeway would be closed in both directions at Warrigal Road for overnight works for four nights in January, while the Princes Freeway is to close overnight between the Princes Highway and Beaconsfield Interchange between 9 and 24 January.
Further information about planned motoring disruptions over coming months can be accessed at this PS News link.
