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The West Gate Tunnel project has powered ahead over the past 12 months pushing several key construction milestones over the line.

Once completed, the West Gate Tunnel will deliver a vital alternative to the heavily congested West Gate Bridge and provide new links to Melbourne’s port, CityLink and the city.

The project includes 18 kilometres of new lanes on the West Gate Freeway, widening from eight to 12 lanes and easing traffic congestion for the 200,000 motorists who use it daily. More than 75% of widening works are now complete and 80% of the project’s new and improved noise walls have been installed.

Two tunnel boring machines-the biggest of their kind in the southern hemisphere-have dug 40% of the twin tunnels beneath Yarraville in Melbourne’s inner west and will break through at new entry and exit portals in 2023. The tunnels are expected to remove around 9,000 trucks from local roads a day by providing a direct route from the port to the industrial areas of Melbourne’s west.

The tunnels connect to a new bridge and ramps being built over the Maribyrnong River. New Hyde Street ramps are taking shape next to the freeway, giving trucks direct access to local industry, with the bridge over the Maribyrnong River now 40% complete.

The bridge will connect the new tunnels with an elevated roadway above Footscray Road, where a state-of-the-art launching gantry has recently completed the first stage of its outbound journey. This new two-kilometre, six-lane elevated road will connect to CityLink and improve connections between the city centre and Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs.

The elevated road will also house our two and a half kilometre veloway, designed to create safety and faster journeys for cyclists.

Over the last 12 months, we’ve met with thousands of community members and stakeholders at community open days and engagement events, to help keep local communities informed and up to date on progress.