Construction begins on Melbourne’s busiest freeways

Geotechnical drilling has begun on  two of Melbourne’s busiest freeways, the M80 Ring Road and the Monash Freeway.

Upgrades on the Sydney Road to Edgars Road section of the M80 Ring Road and the Monash Freeway aims improve connectivity for commuters across Victoria.

The upgrade to the M80 Ring Road is part of the $518 million project to enhance connections to top major freeway and interstate links, including the Hume Freeway, future North Easy Link, Princes and West Gate Freeway and future West Gate Tunnel.

Improvements to the four-kilometre stretch between Sydney and Edgars Road will include new lanes and entry and exit ramps.

Alan Tudge, Minister for Federal Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure said it would provide safer and more reliable journeys every day for more than 165,000 cars and 22,000 trucks across the northern and western suburbs.

The Monash Freeway will begin stage two of significant construction on the $1.4 billion upgrade next month, improving trips close for half a million motorist a day in Melbourne’s South East.

The project will extend the freeway from eight to ten lanes between Springvale Road and Eastlink and four to six lanes between Clyde Road and Cardinia Road.

Improved connections will also be created at Beaconsfield and link to an upgraded extended O’Shea Road, which will feature two new lanes in each direction, a new outbound entry to the Freeway at Police Road along with a modified outbound and Jacksons Road entry to Eastlink.

The Monash Freeway is expected for completion by 2022, whilst the M80 is scheduled for completion by early 2023.

Both Freeways will remain open during peak times to minimise the disruption.