Western Freeway (Victoria)

Western Freeway
Formerly
Length	125 km (78 mi)
Direction	West-East
From	Western Highway, Burrumbeet, Victoria
Major suburbs	Ballarat, Ballan, Bacchus Marsh, Melton, Rockbank
To	Western Ring Road, Derrimut, Melbourne
Allocation	National Route M8
Major junctions	Sunraysia Highway Midland Highway Melton Highway Ballarat Road for full list see exits and Intersections.

See also: Western Highway, Victoria and Ballarat Road, Melbourne

The Western Freeway is a 125 kilometre Australian freeway linking the state capital of Victoria (Melbourne) to the major regional city of Ballarat. Signed as M8, it used to branch off from the Western Highway (having come originally beyond the Victorian/South Australian border outside Adelaide) at Burrumbeet, 22 kilometres north-west of Ballarat, and now ends officially to Melbourne's freeway network via the Western Ring Road, in the middle western suburbs of Melbourne. Both the freeway and Western Highway beyond Ballarat are part of the National Highway network for the Melbourne-Adelaide route.

Plans are underway for the freeway to be extended west to Ararat, and eventually, to Stawell.

The Western Freeway subsumes and bypasses most sections of the older Western Highway. Former bypassed sections of the Western Highway are generally designated sequentially from C801 to C805, or Metropolitan Route 8 (although oddly enough, this used to still keep the old National Route 8 shield) (within suburban Melbourne).

The Melbourne section of the Western Highway is shown in the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan as part of the F12 Freeway corridor.

Deer Park Bypass

Eastbound on the Deer Park Bypass approaching the Western Ring Road interchange

The Deer Park Bypass opened on 5 April 2009 in the western suburbs of Melbourne. The freeway links the Western Freeway at Ravenhall, and the Western Ring Road in Derrimut. This 9.3 kilometre freeway was estimated to cost A$333 million which also includes a grade separated interchange or a "full diamond" at Leakes Road in Rockbank.

History

The purpose of the freeway bypass is to move traffic off Ballarat Road, which leads to the Western Ring Road. Due to the strong population growth of about 8.7 per cent and subdivision in Deer Park and Sunshine, the surrounding suburbs and the seven traffic signals between the Western Ring Road and the start of the Western Freeway, substantial long and very frustrating delays were created for the 70,000 vehicles per day with 10 per cent of this consisting of heavy vehicles.

The bypass had been proposed since the completion of the Western Ring Road, the project stalled due to funding quarrels between the Federal and State Governments. In 2004, the Federal government announced that the Deer Park Bypass would be built as part of a $1.4 billion project "package grant" to Victoria (Australia). It was anticipated that more than 15 min of travel time would be saved when travelling through Deer Park, via Ballarat Road.

Construction started on the Deer Park bypass in August 2006, work being carried out as a joint venture by Leighton Contractors and VicRoads, in construction with two contracts. The first stage opened in December 2007.^[1]

Opening brought forward

It was announced on 4 March 2009 that the Deer Park Bypass would open in early April 2009, with the new freeway link on track to open more than eight months ahead of schedule.

On that day, Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas and Federal Member for Gorton Brendan O'Connor MP inspected works from the new bridge over the Ring Road at Sunshine West and Tim Pallas announced that the $331 million Deer Park Bypass would open to the public on Sunday 5 April 2009.^[2]

Anthony's Cutting Realignment

Alignment of the road over Djerriwarrh Creek, before the opening of the Anthony's Cutting Realignment

The section of road through Anthony's Cutting between Bacchus Marsh and Melton was one of the most dangerous sections of the route, and was not of modern freeway standard. The steep hills and tight curves along the 5 kilometre long stretch of road resulted in 21 serious crashes in the five years to 2010.^[3] More than 29,000 vehicles per day, including more than 4000 freight vehicles, travel the highway section daily.^[4] The new route opened to traffic on 27 June 2011, nine months ahead of schedule.^[5]

The project included:^[6]

• Extension of Woolpack Road north from Bacchus Marsh Road to a new interchange on the Western Freeway, including a bridge over the Lerderderg River.
• An overpass carrying Bulmans Road over the existing Western Freeway.
• An overpass taking Hopetoun Park Road across the new freeway, with Melbourne-bound on and off ramps.
• Freeway bridges spanning Djerriwarrh Creek, and Cowans Road / Pyrites Creek.

The original project scope included a diamond interchange at Bulmans Road that has not been built, while the ramps at Hopetoun Park Road were not included but was later added.^[7] The extension of Woolpack Road has been delayed due to need to clear trees in the heritage listed Avenue of Honour at Bacchus Marsh.^[8]

Realignment of the road through this section had been proposed far back as 2001, when a group of 10 local councils said the realignment could cost just $65 million to build.^[9] By 2006 the cost was estimated to be $85 million, with federal Roads Minister Jim Lloyd stating that the project would receive serious consideration for funding in the 2009 AusLink document, subject to support from the State Government.^[10] Construction commenced in February 2010, funded by $160 million from the Australian Government and $40 million from the Victorian Government.^[11]

Future upgrades

Approximate road distances (in kilometres) of towns along the freeway

There are still several at-grade intersections on the "freeway", particularly in the areas near Rockbank and at Woodmans Hill just to the east of Ballarat.

• Proposed upgrade and safety improvements Rockbank to Melton, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009–2014)[1].
• Proposed extension west through Ararat and eventually to Stawell, also part of Auslink 2.

Towns

Towns along the way include:

• Ballarat
• Bungaree
• Ballan
• Bacchus Marsh
• Melton
• Rockbank

Exits and Intersections

Western Freeway
Westbound exits / intersections	Distance to Adelaide (km)	Distance to Melbourne (km)	Eastbound exits / intersections
End Western Freeway continues as Western Highway to Horsham / Adelaide	586	143	Start Western Freeway from Western Highway
Wendouree, Ballarat Old Western Highway _
WESTERN RAIL LINE	592	137	WESTERN RAIL LINE
Avoca, Mildura Sunraysia Highway	600	129	Avoca, Mildura Sunraysia Highway
Ballarat, Maryborough Ballarat-Maryborough Road	602	127	Maryborough, Ballarat Ballarat-Maryborough Road
Wendouree, Clunes Gillies Street	604	125	no exit
Geelong, Bendigo Midland Highway	606	123	Bendigo, Geelong Midland Highway
Brown Hill, Daylesford Ballarat-Daylesford Road	612	117	Daylesford, Brown Hill Ballarat-Daylesford Road
Ballarat Ballarat-Burrumbeet Road	614	115	no exit
Clarks Road	615	114	no intersection
Brewery Tap Road	617	112	Brewery Tap Road
Mount Edgerton Old Melbourne Road			Mount Edgerton Old Melbourne Road
Greene Road	618	111	no intersection
no intersection	619	110	Richards Road
Forbes Road / Black Swamp Road	621	108	Black Swamp Road / Forbes Road
Bungaree Bungaree-Wallace Road _	624	105	Bungaree Bungaree-Wallace Road _
Bungaree, Creswick Bungaree-Creswick Road	626	103	Creswick, Bungaree Bungaree-Creswick Road
Wallace, Springbark Bungaree-Wallace Road / Ormond Road	632	97	Springbark, Wallace Ormond Road / Bungaree-Wallace Road
Gordon Brougham Street / Abbington Park Road	637	92	Gordon Brougham Street / Abbington Park Road
Ballan, Daylesford Ballan-Daylesford Road	647	82	Daylesford, Ballan Ballan-Daylesford Road
BP SERVICE CENTRE	650	79	BP SERVICE CENTRE
Ballan Old Melbourne Road	652	77	Ballan Old Melbourne Road
Kyneton Greendale-Myrniong Road	658	71	Kyneton Greendale-Myrniong Road
Pentland Hills Pentland Hills Road	664	65	Pentland Hills Pentland Hills Road
Pentland Hills Mortons Road / Pentland Hills Road	667	62	no exit
no exit	669	60	Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh Road
Geelong, Gisborne Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road	671	58	Gisborne, Geelong Bacchus Marsh-Gisborne Road
Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh Road	676	53	Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh Road
Hopetoun Park Hopetoun Park Road	678	51	no exit
Exford, Melton Coburns Road	684	45	Melton, Exford Coburns Road
Melton South, Gisborne Ferris Road / Melton Highway	687	42	Taylors Lakes, Melton South Melton Highway / Ferris Road
Mount Cottrell, To Beattys Road Mount Cottrell Road	689	40	To Beattys Road, Mount Cottrell Mount Cottrell Road
Paynes Road	691	38	Paynes Road
Rockbank, Plumpton Leakes Road	693	36	Plumpton, Rockbank Leakes Road
Troups Road North	696	33	Troups Road North
Werribee, Diggers Rest Hopkins Road	698	31	Diggers Rest, Werribee Hopkins Road
Mobil SERVICE CENTRE
no exit	701	28	Deer Park, Sunshine Ballarat Road
Caroline Springs Christies Road	702	27	no exit
WESTERN RAIL LINE	705	24	WESTERN RAIL LINE
Tarneit, Burnside Robinsons Road	708	21	Burnside, Tarneit Robinsons Road
	710	19	Greensborough, Seymour, Sydney Western Ring Road
Laverton, Ardeer Fitzgerald Road	711	18	End Western Freeway continues as Western Ring Road to Melbourne / Geelong
Start Western Freeway continues from Western Ring Road

References

1. ^ First milestone reached on the Deer Park Bypass
2. ^ Media Release - Deer Park ByPass to open in early April 2009
3. ^ "$200 Million Anthony's Cutting Project Underway". Media release issued by the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister; Tim Pallas, Victorian Roads Minister; and Catherine King, Member for Ballarat. 18 February 2010. http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/aa/releases/2010/February/AA058_2010.htm. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
4. ^ "Anthony's Cutting to open early". The Courier. 24 June 2011. http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/general/anthonys-cutting-to-open-early/2206554.aspx. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
5. ^ "Anthony's Cutting realignment open to traffic". Melton Leader. 27 June 2011. http://melton-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/anthonys-cutting-realignment-set-to-open-tomorrow/. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
6. ^ "Project Overview". Western Highway Realignment Project. http://www.whrp.com.au/Documents.asp?ID=12256&Title=Project+Overview. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
7. ^ "Angry Hopetoun Park residents petition MP". Melton Leader. 3 October 2009. http://melton-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/angry-hopetoun-park-residents-petition-mp/. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
8. ^ Carolyn Webb (13 August 2010). "Heritage listing puts project on hold". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/heritage-listing-puts-project-on-hold-20100812-121i7.html. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
9. ^ MARIZA FIAMENGO (31 October 2001). "Campaign unveiled for safe highway". The Courier. http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/general/campaign-unveiled-for-safe-highway/172038.aspx. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
10. ^ "Positive response to highway upgrade plan". The Courier. 31 Jul 2009. http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/news/columns/positive-response-toh-ighway-upgrade-plan/659545.aspx. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
11. ^ "Western Highway - Realignment of Anthonys Cutting between Melton and Bacchus Marsh". nationbuildingprogram.gov.au. 18 May 2011. http://www.nationbuildingprogram.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=033230-08VIC-NP. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 

See also

• Freeways in Australia
• Freeways in Victoria
• Road transport in Victoria