VicRoads will close four of the five outbound lanes on the busy Westgate Bridge from 9pm, 26 December 2022 (Boxing Day) until 9am Wednesday, 4 January 2023 for essential annual maintenance.
Drivers and commuters are warned to expect “significant delays” that could last more than 90 minutes and should avoid the area as soon as possible.
snapshot
- Motorists were warned to avoid Westgate Bridge from Boxing Day night until the morning of January 4.
- Passengers at Hobson’s Bay’s Victorian and Melbourne airports urged to plan ahead.
- Delays to essential operations may exceed 90 minutes with traffic flow impacts.
This year, VicRoads will replace the waterproof membrane under the exit median lane, while carrying out structural checks on the steel box bridge, resurfacing and markings.
Only one lane may be open to traffic to ensure workers have space for onsite equipment and are a safe distance from moving vehicles.
4
Those traveling to Melbourne Airport or via the bridge in either direction should check. VicRoads website For suggested detours and forward planning.
“We do this every year because it’s the lowest traffic volume time of the year. [20 to 25 per cent lower]Victorian Department of Transport spokesman Chris Miller said The wheels.
“We’re warning that the delays can be really bad. So, take the Eastern Freeway, for example. It might add an extra 10 or 15 minutes to a normal commute, but it’s 90 minutes. is much better than sitting in delay,” he said.
4
The Westgate Bridge is the busiest bridge in Australia and carries approximately 200,000 vehicles per day at its peak, with a total of 10 inbound and outbound lanes.
Traffic delays are expected on the Westgate Freeway, the Domain Tunnel, the city-bound lanes of the Monash Freeway, and surrounding roads through the CBD, Docklands and South Bank. Inner suburbs such as South Melbourne, South Yarra and Toorak will also be affected.
“Our modeling suggests the majority of people actually use the bridge. [holiday] Time of year the workers are from the Hobson Bay area – so it’s suburbs like Altoona, Point Cook and Werribee,” added Miller.
“We’re saying to them, maybe consider public transport – the Werribee-Williamstown train lines will be unaffected and run as normal. Otherwise, they’ll have to take a wider route.”
4
“We don’t even want people trying to fly. [at Melbourne Airport] And then discover a huge wall of traffic. With the delays we are expecting, there will be no opportunity for last-minute detours,” he said.
Built in 1978, the Westgate Bridge is a steel, box-girder bridge 2582 meters long – twice the length of the iconic Sydney Harbor Bridge. It is part of the Westgate Freeway and connects the CBD with Melbourne’s western suburbs and cities such as Geelong.