A six-week construction blitz is set to cause commuter chaos across Melbourne

COMMUTERS face delays of up to 90 minutes as Melbourne is hit with the biggest construction blitz in years. Road and rail commuters. SEE HOW IT WILL AFFECT YOU.

MELBOURNE commuters are about to be hit with the biggest construction blitz in years as projects kick off across the city.

The jam-packed six week program of works will impact all parts of the city with passengers and motorists being warned to leave early and plan ahead in order to navigate long delays.

FUTURE MELBOURNE: ROADS TO BE DIGITALLY CONNECTED

HOW LONG YOUR DRIVE WILL TAKE YOU IN 2030

TRAIN PAIN CONTINUES AFTER MAJOR FAULT HALTS SERVICES

Gippsland V/Line passengers will be among the worst affected with delays up to 90 minutes during peak hour when work begins on the Dandenong corridor.

Passengers on the Hurstbridge line face 55 minute delays as they are moved onto buses for 44 days, as part of the level crossing removals.

Roadwork on Hoddle St. Picture: Jay Town

Train commuters will be forced onto buses for level crossing removals. Picture: Ellen Smith

St Kilda Rd lanes reduced for years from today for Metro Tunnel construction

Shutdowns on the Cranbourne/ Pakenham line will also begin again with trains to be stopped for 17 days while a further two crossings are targeted.

Drivers on major thoroughfares across Melbourne will also experience increased travel times with the West Gate Freeway widening, night closures to overhaul the Chandler Highway Bridge and a range of ongoing Metro Tunnel works.

In total 28 projects will be carried out during the shutdown period.

Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Kelly Defina

Premier Daniel Andrews announced the list of works on Thursday but said the pain was necessary.

“The length of this shutdown and the scale of these works will mean significant disruption and we apologise for that. We apologise for the progress we are making but to do any this different is either to fail to deliver the commitments we made,’’ he said.

“While there will be inconvenience and disruption now it pales in significance when you think about the challenges posed to the liveablity of our city and the productivity of our economy if we weren't to get this done.

“It's a big, big project and a big program of works and we do in advance thank the travelling public being patient and being understanding.”

Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said many works were being carried out over the holidays to reduce the impact and Roads Minister Luke Donnellan urged drivers to leave early and research alternative routes.

It is not clear how Gippsland passengers will be supported during the significant delays.

More information is available at https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE ROADS AND RAILS

ROADS

SPENCER ST

April 3-November 2018

Full southbound lane closures between Flinders Street and Collins Street

Detours in place

GRANGE RD, ALPHINGTON

March 16-April 6

Closed between Heidelberg Rd and Darling St

Detours in place

LOWER PLENTY RD, ROSANNA

March 16-19 and March 30-April 16

Closed between Ellesmere Pde and Turnham Ave

Detours in place

CANTERBURY RD, MIDDLE PARK

March 22-25

Partial closure for the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix

SKYE/OVERTON RD, FRANKSTON

March 8-16

Skye/Overton Rd intersection closed at the level crossing

Detours in place

EVANS RD NORTH

Already underway — July 2018

Closed in both directions between roundabout at Thompsons Rd and Boland Dr

Seek alternative routes

H ODDLE ST

Already underway — until mid 2018

Lane closures between Queens Pde and Johnston St

Allow up to 15 mins extra time

March 25-July 27

Right turn lane from Eastern Freeway to Hoddle St closed

ST KILDA RD

Already underway — Up to four years

Metro Tunnel works has reduced the road to one lane in each direction between Kings Way and Dorcas St

Allow up to 15 mins extra time

WEST GATE TUNNEL

Already underway — Up to five years

West Gate Freeway widening works between Williamstown Rd and M80 interchange.

All lanes remain open but plan ahead

GRATTAN ST

Already underway — Up to five years

Street closed between Royal Pde and Leicester St for Metro Tunnel works

CHANDLER HIGHWAY BRIDGE

March 26-29

Closed nightly between 7pm and 6am

Allow extra 15 mins travel time

CITY WEST WATER WORKS

April 3 — November

Southbound lane closures between Flinders St and Collins St St

Detours in place

EASTERN FREEWAY

April 15 — 17

Outbound ramps in sections to be closed at night

Plan Ahead

NORTH YARRA SEWER

Late April

closures on Whitehall St in Footscray

Detours in place

TRAINS

FRANKSTON LINE

March 9-12

Buses replacing trains between Carrum and Frankston

Allow up to 20 mins extra

CRANBOURNE/PAKENHAM LINE

March 23-25

Buses replacing trains between Dandenong and Cranbourne stations

Allow extra 40 mins travel time

March 30-April 1

Buses replacing trains between Caulfield and Westall stations

Allow extra 55 mins travel time

DANDENONG LINE

March 23-25

Buses replacing trains between Dandenong and Cranbourne stations

Allow extra 40 mins travel time

HURSTBRIDGE LINE

March 16-April 29

Buses replacing trains between Clifton Hill and Macleod/Greensborough

stations

Allow up to 55 mins extra travel time

SUNBURY LINE

March 30-April 1

Buses replacing trains between Albion and Sunbury

Allow extra 60 mins travel time

April 15

bus replacements between Albion and Sunbury stations

BENDIGO LINE (V/LINE)

Coaches replacing trains between Gisborne and Southern Cross station

Allow extra 45 mins travel time

STONY POINT (V/LINE)

March 9-12

Buses replacing trains

Allow up to 35 miss extra

METRO TUNNEL

April 1-17

Buses to replace 58 trams between Toorak Rd West and park Street

Allow 15 extra mins

METRO TUNNEL

Buses to replace 58 trams between Toorak Rd West and park Street

Allow 15 extra minute

April 5-17

Buses to replace trams routes 3, 3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72 on St Kilda Rd

Allow extra 30 mins

FRANKSTON LINE

April 6-8

Buses between Moorabbin and Stony Point

Allow extra 40 mins

[e-mail]

@alexwhitelive