Work will ramp up this summer, taking some of Victoria’s critical projects closer to the finish line and Victorians closer to shorter travel times and less trucks on local roads.

As the West Gate Tunnel powers towards completion in late 2025, Wurundjeri Way will be closed between Dudley Street and Bourke Street from mid-January to early March to allow for intersection works as well as work on the new road bridge that will remove traffic from the CBD and improve connectivity between the north, city, and west.

Widening the West Gate Freeway from eight to 12 lanes will cut travel times between the west and the city by 20 minutes, requiring a construction blitz to install nearly 50 massive overhead gantries, closing the freeway overnight between Williamstown Road and the M80 Ring Road on various nights throughout summer.

There will be lane closures on the West Gate Freeway between Millers Road and the M80 interchange from January to March for final asphalting, and the ramp to the M80 Ring Road Greensborough-bound will be closed for a number of weeks.

There will also be a weekend closure of CityLink between Footscray Road and Dynon Road on 8 December to allow for the installation of a huge steel beam that will create the vital link between the new elevated road on Footscray Road and CityLink.

Annual maintenance works will close three citybound lanes on the West Gate Bridge from 9:00pm Tuesday 26 December to 6:00am on Thursday 4 January. With only two citybound lanes open, delays of up to 30 minutes are expected – drivers should plan their journey, follow detour signs, and allow plenty of extra travel time.

To help with planning your journey navigation app providers will be engaged to ensure detour routes are provided to drivers throughout the disruptions.

With 72 level crossings gone for good, a further two more will be removed in the coming months at Cranbourne and Narre Warren to improve safety and reduce congestion for the tens of thousands of vehicles travelling through the crossings every day.

Major works to remove the level crossing at Webb Street, Narre Warren will see buses replace trains on sections of the Pakenham and Cranbourne Line, from 9.30pm Friday 24 November until Monday 11 December.

As work on the new, accessible station at Keon Park and construction of a 750-metre-long rail bridge gathers pace, buses will replace trains on sections of the Mernda Line from 11 January to last service 21 January, and the existing station will be closed from 9pm 11 January while work on the new one is underway.

Buses will replace trains on sections of the Belgrave and Lilydale lines from late January as work ramps up on the Bedford Road, Ringwood level crossing removal.

Work to reduce bottlenecks, reduce congestion and create better road connections will continue, with major works on the Hall Road, Healesville Koo Wee Rup, Narre Warren – Cranbourne Road and Pakenham Roads Upgrades.

The Evans Road and Hall Road intersection will be closed from 12 to 28 January with work at Narre Warren – Cranbourne Road commencing in January, where road and lane closures and speed restrictions will be in place.

The intersection of the Western Port Highway and Hall Road will also be closed in all directions until 20 December so lanes can be added, and intersections upgraded – drivers should allow up to 25 minutes extra travel time when detouring.

As part of the upgrades to the Eastern Freeway to connect with the new 6.5 kilometre North East Link tunnels, speeds have now been reduced to 80km/h during the day between Burke Road and Doncaster Road, and 40km/h at night next to worksites to keep crews safe.

As work continues to complete the M80 Ring Road at Greensborough, with five new lanes that will seamlessly connect to the new tunnels, there will also be overnight lane closures between Greensborough Road and Plenty Road at times during summer.

Buses will replace trains on sections of the Hurstbridge Line from 1-18 December and there will be intermittent weekend closures while crews upgrade tracks, signalling and equipment to allow for the extension of the rail tunnel.

Yarra Trams will conduct maintenance and renewal works at the intersection of La Trobe and Swanston Streets from 2 to 11 January, requiring sections of La Trobe and Swanston streets to be closed with detours in place and service changes to tram routes 1,3,5,6,16,30,35,64,67 and 72.