West Gate Tunnel Project enters final stages, with a giant crane removal to cause a traffic nightmare.
Major delays are expected as the West Gate Tunnel Project prepares to remove a 50-metre crane from the freeway.
The Victorian government’s West Gate Tunnel Project has issued an urgent advisory for motorists to prepare for significant disruptions this weekend as crews dismantle a massive tower crane. The operation will cause substantial traffic impacts on Melbourne’s west side, with outbound lane and ramp closures affecting thousands of weekend travellers.
West Gate Tunnel delays
- Where: West Gate Freeway, between Williamstown Road and Millers Road
- When: Friday, 11 April at 11:59 pm to Monday, 14 April at 5:00 am
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The 50-metre-high tower crane has been essential in constructing the outbound tunnel exit between Williamstown and Millers roads. For the past two years, it has been used to lift components of the tunnel ventilation structure into place, including the steel frame and cladding.
Transport officials are warning motorists to avoid the West Gate Bridge entirely during the works period, with expected delays of up to an hour. The West Gate Freeway will be reduced to just two lanes outbound between Williamstown Road and Millers Road throughout the weekend.
Even more disruptive will be the complete closure of all outbound freeway lanes between Williamstown Road and Millers Road during Friday and Sunday nights. These overnight shutdowns are necessary for crews to set up and later dismantle a 450-tonne crane that will assist with the weekend work.
The Williamstown Road outbound entry ramp will also remain closed across the entire weekend.
These works represent another milestone toward the project’s completion later this year. Recent months have seen crews resurfacing sections of the West Gate Freeway, installing road barriers and finalising the inbound express lanes layout.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams emphasised the project’s importance: “Works are progressing well on the West Gate Tunnel’s twin tunnels which will help take 9,000 trucks off local roads.”
She added, “During the weekend works, plan ahead and allow extra time to get where you need to go.”
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Once complete, the West Gate Tunnel Project will provide a vital second river crossing to ease congestion on the chronically overloaded West Gate Bridge. The new infrastructure aims to improve travel times across Melbourne’s western suburbs while significantly reducing truck traffic on local roads by the end of 2025.
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