Western Freeway (Victoria)

The Western Freeway is a 156 kilometre Australian freeway linking the state capital of Victoria (Melbourne) to the major regional city of Ballarat and on to Beaufort. Signed as M8, it used to branch off from the Western Highway (having come originally beyond the Victorian/South Australian border outside Adelaide) just outside Beaufort, 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 (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.

From 2013, the National Highway numbers will be replaced (over time) with a standard alphanumeric state route number.

Timeline of duplication

• 1964/65 - Ballarat East. 2.4 miles of duplicate carriageway completed east of Ballarat. No exact date given.^[1]
• 1966/67 - Deer Park to Rockbank. 7.12 miles of dual carriageways completed during financial year 1966/67.^[2]
• 1966/67 - Dual carriageways from Djerriwarrh Creek to Coimadai Creek completed during financial year 1966/67.^[2]
• 1966/67 - Dual carriageways 1.83 miles east of Pykes Creek Reservoir completed during financial year 1966/67.^[2]
• 1967/68 - Rockbank to Melton East. Construction completed of over 3 miles of dual carriageways during financial year 1967/68.^[3]
• 1969 - Pykes Creek Reservoir. The ‘Western By-pass Road’ is completed, running four miles east and west of Pykes Creek Reservoir.^[4]
• 1972 - Bacchus Marsh bypass. 5.88 miles opened 30 June 1972, by the Hon. Sir Henry Bolte, GCMG, MP, at a cost of A$4.3m.^[5]
• 1972 - Gordon section. 5.74 miles opened 5 May 1972, by the Board's chairman, Mr R E V Donaldson, at a cost of A$2.2m.^[5]
• 1973 - Pentland Hills to Myrniong section. One mile completed from Korkuperrimul Creek to the Lion Park interchange, early 1973.^[6]
• 1974 - Pentland Hills section. 4.8 km ‘west of Bacchus Marsh’ opened 1974.^[7]
• 1975 - Myrniong bypass opened 3 October 1975, by the Minister for Transport, the Hon E R Meagher, CBE, ED, at a cost of A$3.28m. The 5.9 km bypass of Myrniong completed '80 km of dual carriageways between Melbourne and Ballarat'.^[8]
• 1978 - Ballan bypass. 8.4 km opened 15 June 1978, by the Hon J A Rafferty, Minister for Transport, at a cost of A$9.8m.^[9]
• 1983 – Wallace and Bungaree bypass opened 9 March 1983, by the Premier of Victoria, the Hon. John Cain MP. The 11.9 km bypass cost A$23.6m.^[10]
• 1987 – Melton bypass. The 'freeway work' was opened to traffic on 7 July 1987, with the remainder of works expected to be completed by April 1988. The 8.8 km bypass cost A$44.2m.^[11][12]
• 1993 - Ballarat bypass. The first stage, a single carriageway section from Woodmans Hill to the Midland Highway, is opened in December 1993, at a cost of A$62m.^[13]
• 1994 - Ballarat bypass. The second stage of the initial 26 km single carriageway by-pass is opened to traffic in December 1994.^[14]
• 1995 - Ballarat bypass. Second carriageway opened to traffic between Woodmans Hill and Gillies Street in December 1995, at a cost of A$25m.^[15]
• 1998 - Ballarat bypass. The final section opened in February 1998, The final stage featured the duplication of the original single carriageway bypass from Gillies Street to the Sunraysia Highway.^[16]
• 2001 - The new elevated Hopkins Road Interchange was opened to traffic on 12 July 2001, at a cost of $13.1 million.^[17] Before the construction of the new interchange, the intersection of Hopkins Road (Melton-Werribee Road) with the Western Freeway at Rockbank was improved using Black Spot Program funds in 1989 and 1991, but a long term solution to the congestion and crashes at this location was the construction of an elevated interchange.^[18]
• 2009 – Deer Park bypass opened to traffic on 5 April 2009, at a cost of A$331m, jointly funded by the state and federal governments. In conjunction with these works, the new Leakes Road interchange at Rockbank was opened in August 2008.^[19]
• 2011 – Anthony’s Cutting realignment. A new 5 km realignment constructed to the south of the previous section of highway, bypassing the steep grades and tight curves of the old alignment. The A$200m project was ‘mostly’ open to traffic in June 2011.^[20]
• 2013 - Ballarat to Burrumbeet. 8 km duplication opened to traffic 31 January 2013.^[21]
• 2015 - Burrumbeet to Beaufort opened to traffic on 18 February 2015 adding a further 26 km of freeway standard dual carriageway to the existing freeway. This includes a bypass of Trawalla.

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. 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.^[22]

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.^[23]

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.^[24] More than 29,000 vehicles, including more than 4000 freight vehicles, travel the highway section daily.^[25] The new route opened to traffic on 27 June 2011, nine months ahead of schedule.^[26]

The project included:^[27]

• 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.^[28] The extension of Woolpack Road has been delayed due to controversy over need to clear trees in the heritage listed Avenue of Honour at Bacchus Marsh.^[29]

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.^[30] 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.^[31] Construction commenced in February 2010, funded by $160 million from the Australian Government and $40 million from the Victorian Government.^[32]

Future upgrades

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).
• Proposed extension west from the current freeway terminus in the Melbourne side of Beaufort west through to Ararat and eventually to Stawell, also part of Auslink 2. Part of the Beaufort to Ararat section is currently (as at March 2015) under construction.

Towns

Towns along the way include:

• Trawalla
• 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 and Adelaide	586	143	Start Western Freeway from Western Highway
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 Victoria Street (Old Western Highway)	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
Wallace, Creswick Bungaree-Wallace Road Springbark Ormond Road	632	97	Springbark Ormond Road Wallace, Creswick 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 Road	678	51	no exit
Exford, Melton Coburns Road	684	45	Melton, Exford Coburns Road
Ferris Road Melton, Gisborne 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
7 ELEVEN SERVICE CENTRE
no exit	701	28	Deer Park, Sunshine Ballarat Road
Caroline Springs Christies Road	702	27	no exit
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 and Geelong
Start Western Freeway continues from Western Ring Road

References

See also

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

Road infrastructure in Melbourne
Tollways	CityLink (Transurban) EastLink (ConnectEast)
Freeways	Airport Drive Calder Freeway Eastern Freeway Frankston Freeway Hume Freeway Metropolitan Ring Road Monash Freeway Mornington Peninsula Freeway Peninsula Link Princes Freeway South Gippsland Freeway Tullamarine Freeway West Gate Freeway Western Freeway Western Ring Road
Highways	Ballarat Road Bell Street Bulleen Road Burwood Highway Chandler Highway Dandenong Road Dandenong Valley Highway Eastern Highway Flemington Road Geelong Road Greensborough Highway Hoddle Highway Maroondah Highway Melton Highway Moorooduc Highway Mountain Highway Nepean Highway Plenty Valley Highway Springvale Road St Kilda Road Sydney Road Warrigal Road Westall Road Western Port Highway Whitehorse Road
Bypasses	Dandenong Bypass Ringwood Bypass Westall Road (Springvale Bypass)
Bridges and tunnels	Bolte Bridge Burnley Tunnel Domain Tunnel Melba Tunnel Mullum Mullum Tunnel West Gate Bridge
Proposals	1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan East West Link Western Distributor West Gate Distributor Outer Ring Road Dingley Arterial Healesville Freeway Mornington Peninsula Freeway North East Link
Streets in Melbourne Highways in Melbourne VicRoads Transport in Melbourne

Road infrastructure in Victoria
Freeways	Calder Freeway Goulburn Valley Freeway Hume Freeway Princes Freeway (Geelong Ring Road) Western Freeway
Highways	Bass Highway Bellarine Highway Borung Highway Calder Highway Calder Alternative Highway Glenelg Highway Goulburn Valley Highway Hamilton Highway Henty Highway Hopkins Highway Kiewa Valley Highway Loddon Valley Highway Mallee Highway Maroondah Highway McIvor Highway Melba Highway Midland Highway Monaro Highway Murray Valley Highway Nepean Highway Northern Highway Omeo Highway Princes Highway Pyrenees Highway South Gippsland Highway Strzelecki Highway Sturt Highway Sunraysia Highway Surf Coast Highway Warburton Highway Western Highway Western Port Highway Wimmera Highway
Bypass routes	Old Hume Highway Old Princes Highway Princes Highway (Geelong)
Tourist routes	Great Alpine Road Great Ocean Road Murray Valley Highway Phillip Island Road