Melbourne commuters brace for significant disruption on all transport networks

COMMUTERS are being warned to prepare for delays over the school holidays as Melbourne undergoes a transport construction blitz. Find out the roads to avoid.

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THOUSANDS of commuters are being warned to prepare for “significant disruption” on roads, trams and trains as part of the Andrews government’s two week construction blitz during the winter school holidays.

VICTORIA ON THE ROAD TO RUIN

Premier Daniel Andrews has warned Melburnians to be prepared for daily delays of up to 30 minutes to make way for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel, level crossing removals and long awaited road upgrades.

New bluetooth monitoring will be deployed across the network in a bid to gather real time feedback to traffic monitors. And traffic flows will be overhauled south of the city in the bid to avoid cars coming to a halt.

And traffic flows will be overhauled south of the city in the bid to avoid cars coming to a halt.

Mr Andrews acknowledged the fortnight of works designed to overhaul the state’s transport network would cause pain for commuters.

The Herald Sun can reveal the winter changes are just the beginning with a series of roadworks to ramp up across Melbourne until late 2018.

The Andrews government’s two-week construction blitz is set to take place during the winter school holidays.

During July areas around Melbourne impacted include:

LANE closures on St Kilda Rd, Toorak Rd West and access from Kings Way will be cut off;

NINE trams routes in the area will be replaced by buses;

TRAVELLERS heading to the airport will battle traffic queues due to the Tullamarine widening;

LEVEL crossing removals will see train passengers moved on to buses on the Dandenong and Hurstbridge lines;

WORKS on the Monash Freeway and the Western Ring Road will also impact commute times;

LEVEL crossing removals will be carried out in a small number of regional areas.

Mr Andrews apologised for the impact on drivers and public transport users but said the works were vital.

“Our state at the moment is undergoing the biggest infrastructure program we have ever seen,” he said.

“There will be very significant disruptions.

“It makes sense to use the school holidays when the traffic levels are down.”

The construction blitz will last 16 days, kicking off on July 1.

People moving through the St Kilda area will be impacted most with experts warning of 30 minute delays expected across the area.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan. Picture: Mark Stewart

Construction on the Swan St bridge is also set to impact traffic.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan urged Melburnians to avoid St Kilda Rd where possible.

Drivers on their way to the airport are also being warned to plan ahead with added works to be carried out on the Tulla widening project.

Work to remove level crossings and preparation to introduce high-capacity trains will affect services on the Hurstbridge, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in July.

The wider 18-month construction program will impacted tens of thousands of Victorians.