Regional Victorians can look forward to extra road lanes, a new rail bridge and more level crossings gone for good as work heats up on Victoria's Big Build this winter.
In Geelong, a three week construction blitz will close the intersection at Barwon Heads Road and Breakwater Road at Belmont to most traffic from June 17. Crews will work around the clock to raise the entire intersection by up to a metre to help prevent future flooding. Motorists are urged to plan ahead with delays up to 20 minutes expected.
Work continues to build two new lanes on Barwon Heads Road closing the northbound lane between Breakwater and Settlement Roads from 27 May to 17 June. This will allow crews to carry out these complex works quickly and safely.
A number of Barwon Water pipes will be relocated and upgraded as early works on the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication ramp up in preparation to start track work later this year. The project will mean more services and better reliability on the Geelong Line.
In the north, work to improve train detection technology at 10 level crossings between Eaglehawk and Bendigo on the Swan Hill Line and early works to improve the tracks between Goornong and Rochester on the Echuca line are kicking off this winter.
Crews will get trenching, pipe installation and track works done at the same time as the Sunbury Line Upgrade works, meaning fewer disruptions overall. Commuters are urged to plan ahead with sections of the Sunbury, Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill lines to be closed for four weeks from 3 to 29 June.
On the Gippsland Line, upgrades between Pakenham and Traralgon will progress while coaches replace trains from 27 July to 8 August for level crossing removal works. Works will include drainage improvements between the new and existing tracks at Bunyip and Longwarry and trenching works to make way for level crossing upgrades.
The third and final stage of the Princes Highway East upgrade is well underway with the foundations for the new rail bridge over the rail line in Kilmany going in this winter. In order for crews to safely carry out these works, coaches will replace trains between Bairnsdale and Traralgon from the last week of June and into July.
Train lines across regional Victoria will benefit from important maintenance and renewal as we work to continuously improve the network. Coaches will replace trains from Southern Cross Station to Ballarat, Ararat and Maryborough from July 2 through to July 14 while the Warrnambool line will run coaches between Geelong and Warrnambool from June 20 to June 29.
Passengers are asked to plan their journey and wear a mask while on public transport. For more information about planned disruptions over winter visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au.
As stated by Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
"We're delivering the upgrades to regional roads and train lines we promised, supporting hundreds of jobs throughout regional Victoria."
"We encourage Victorians travelling during this period to plan ahead and we thank them for their patience as we deliver these vital upgrades."
