Local residents and commuters in Melbourne’s western suburbs are set to benefit from a package of road upgrade and maintenance works that are predicted to cut travel times, improve road safety and better connect communities in key growth corridors.
The Andrews Labor Government has called for Expressions of Interest for the western package of the Outer Suburban Arterial Roads (OSARs) Program – an Australian first, $1.8 billion investment.
It combines eight high-priority road upgrades with maintenance on more than 700 kilometres of road stretching from Werribee to Footscray, ensuring motorists benefit from new high quality roads while the existing network is maintained to a high standard for years to come.
The upgrades will involve a combination of duplication and widening works to western arterial roads including:
- Dunnings Road and Palmers Road, from Point Cook Road to Princes Freeway, Point Cook
- Palmers Road, from Princes Freeway to Western Freeway, Truganina
- Derrimut Road, from Sayers Road to Dohertys Road, Tarneit
- Leakes Road, from Fitzgerald Road to Derrimut Road, Truganina
- Dohertys Road, from Fitzgerald Road to Grieve Parade, Laverton North
- Dohertys Road, from Foundation Road to Palmers Road, Truganina
- Princes Freeway/Forsyth Road interchange, Hoppers Crossing
- Duncans Road interchange, Werribee/Werribee South
The package will transform the outer-western road network by boosting capacity and improving road pavement conditions with intersection upgrades, almost 30 kilometres of lane duplication, and road maintenance.
The community can provide their feedback and help shape upgrade designs, with VicRoads also set to engage local councils, planning authorities, freight operators, and bus companies for local input.
The eight high-priority road upgrades will be delivered within five years, and the maintenance and rehabilitation contract will continue for a further 20 years.
The Request for Proposal is expected to go out in early 2017, with construction expected to begin 2018.