Drivers on Leakes Road in Truganina are a step closer to enjoying duplicated lanes in each direction, with the opening of a new bridge over Skeleton Creek today.
Member for Tarneit Sarah Connolly said the new bridge was a major milestone for the Andrews Labor Government’s $1.8 billion Western Roads Upgrade.
The new bridge forms part of the broader upgrade to Leakes Road and will allow traffic to flow more freely between Fitzgerald Road and Derrimut Road, while also easing pressure on known bottlenecks in the area.
Inbound and outbound traffic on Leakes Road will be diverted onto the new bridge this Saturday as work begins to rehabilitate and widen the existing bridge.
Once the project is complete, there will be two lanes in each direction of Leakes Road over Skeleton Creek and a dedicated cycling and pedestrian path.
More than 22,000 motorists travel on Leakes Road in Truganina every day, and that number is expected to increase as residential development continues to grow in the local area.
Leakes Road is a key route for local drivers, connecting them to Tarneit train station, local businesses, shops and community services.
More than 18 intersections on Leakes Road are being upgraded as part of the Western Roads Upgrade, with new cycling and walking paths also being built.
Construction of the new 44-metre-long bridge started in early 2019 and required more than 1,500 cubic metres of concrete and 270 tonnes of steel reinforcement.
More than 1,100 workers are helping to deliver the Western Roads Upgrade, with major construction due to be completed by 2021.
Alongside key construction projects, more than 260 kilometres of arterial roads are being improved, resurfaced and rehabilitated from Footscray to Werribee, prior to the kick-off of a 20-year maintenance program.
Quotes attributable to Member for Tarneit District Sarah Connolly
“The new bridge over Skeleton Creek is vital to improving traffic flow on Leakes Road and will give local drivers a more reliable east-west route.”
“Thousands of local residents rely on Leakes Road every day and that’s why we’re getting on with this project to tackle congestion and help people get where they need to be safer and sooner.”
