The federal government has today announced a $1.1 billion investment into the Western Freeway, one of Australia’s busiest freight routes.
The major highway connecting Melbourne to Adelaide, sees approximately 86,000 vehicle travel between Melton and Caroline Springs every day. This figure is expected to rise to approximately 113,000 by 2031.
The federal government, in the lead-up to this year’s election, has committed to upgrading the freight route, with the additional $1.1 billion commitment taking the government’s total investment in the Western Freeway corridor to $2.1 billion.
Federal transport and infrastructure minister Catherine King says the freeway is a “critical transport route for passengers and freight” as it links with major freight routes throughout the state including the Midland, Sunraysia, Pyrenees, Henty and Wimmera highways.
“We’re investing in the transport projects that matter most to Victorians, delivering a rail link to Melbourne Airport, fixing our regional and suburban roads, and strengthening our busiest freeways,” she says.
“We’re investing $2.1 billion in the Western Freeway corridor, $7 billion in the Melbourne Airport rail link and $1 billion in a suburban road blitz because we care about our cities, our suburbs and our regions.
“The Liberals and Nationals starved Victorians of infrastructure funding over their decade in government, and we won’t let that happen again.”
King says the investment will go towards improving the capacity and safety of the Melton to Caroline Springs stretch of the freeway.
The funding will see upgrades be identified and prioritised between the federal and Victorian governments from a jointly funded business case that the state government is funding.
To start, $100 million will be allocated to the planning and early works of the upgrade, beginning at the intersection of the Western Freeway with Warrenheip’s Brewery Tap Road. On top of this focus, $6.1 million will go towards two bridge strengthening upgrades between Stawell and the South Australian border.
The bridge strengthening works will occur at the Dimboola Bridge over the Melbourne-Adelaide railway line and the Dadswells Bridge over the Mt William Creek Floodplain.
These bridge upgrades will begin this year and are expected to end next year.
“Those who regularly travel on this stretch of the Western Freeway know full well how much this $1 billion investment is needed,” federal member for Gorton Brendan O’Connor says.
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