Alliance partners announced for Western Highway realignment project

Monday, 14 September 2009

Construction of the new $200 million Western Freeway route between Melton and Bacchus Marsh in Victoria is one step closer with alliance partners for the construction of the project announced this week.

Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, and Victorian Roads and Ports Minister, Mr Tim Pallas, said that John Holland and AECOM would join VicRoads to build the new freeway connection.

The upgrade will eliminate the tight curves and low-speed section of the Western Highway through Anthony's Cutting, which has seen 21 casualty crashes over the last five years.

More than 29,000 vehicles per day, including more than 4,000 freight vehicles, travel this section of the highway between Melton and Bacchus Marsh, which forms part of the national highway link between Melbourne and Adelaide.

Upon completion, the new Western Freeway route will deliver major economic benefits for the road freight industry and its customers. Significant travel time and cost savings can be expected for goods and produce transported between Melbourne, Ballarat, western Victoria and beyond.

The new freeway alignment south of the existing highway will extend for five kilometres between Harkness Road, Melton West and Bacchus Marsh Road in Bacchus Marsh.

Major construction is scheduled to commence early in 2010 with the completion of the project scheduled for early 2012.

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