Melbourne commuters warned to brace for roadworks, public transport delays from Boxing Day

Melburnians are being warned to brace for days of commuter pain as roadworks and public transport delays over the holiday season.

Melbourne drivers are being advised to plan ahead and allow extra travel time this holiday season. Picture: David Geraghty

Melburnians can expect hefty traffic and public transport delays these holidays, including nine days of pain beginning from Boxing Day for motorists wanting to use the West Gate Bridge.

Motorists are being warned to expect delays of up to 30 minutes on the West Gate Fwy but this time last year holiday-makers faced delays of up to three hours — nearly double what authorities first predicted — after four lanes headed away from the city closed for maintenance last Boxing Day.

Maintenance works in December 2022 caused a week of chaos on the roads, with motorists reportedly making illegal U-turns and reversing back to emergency exit points to escape the congestion, multiple cars running out of petrol in the gridlock and Google Maps advising motorists the delays were just 30 minutes when they were actually two to three hours.

This summer, residents in the state’s west will be affected the most as two separate sets of work take place along the West Gate Fwy.

Three of the five inbound lanes will be closed on the West Gate Bridge from 9pm on December 26, Boxing Day, until 6am on January 4.

Citybound commuters from the west are being encouraged to take public transport. Picture: David Crosling

The “annual maintenance work” will cause a headache for commuters with motorists told to expect significant delays of up to 30 minutes.

Drivers are advised to plan ahead and allow at least 30 minutes of extra travel time.

People heading into the city from the west for events such as soccer, cricket and New Year’s Eve activities are encouraged to take public transport instead.

The West Gate Tunnel Project’s summer works will also begin in early January.

The final layer of asphalting will start on sections of the West Gate Fwy as it widens from 8 to 12 lanes.

The final road resurfacing will be completed along the West Gate and Princess freeways and freeway on ramps between Millers Rd and Kororoit Creek Rd.

Lanes and ramps will be closed in this area from January 10 until early March next year, while the outbound exit from the West Gate Fwy to the M80 Ring Road will be closed from January 10 to18.

There will be overnight closures of the West Gate Fwy at times to install steel overhead gantries.

Parkdale station will be closed unti mid-2024.

The Department of Transport said they were working with Google to ensure the disruptions were updated in Google Maps.

In the state’s southeast, major road works will continue on Hall Rd, Healesville Koo Wee Rup Rd, Narre Warren – Cranbourne Rd and Pakenham Rd, with road and lane closures and speed restrictions in place.

Parkdale station will also be closed until mid-2024, as well as Narre Warren station until late March 2024.

In the state’s north, buses will replace trains on sections of the Mernda Line from January 12 to last service on January 21, as work on the new Keon Park station and construction of a 750m-long rail bridge continues.

There will be overnight lane closures between Greensborough Rd and Plenty Rd at times during summer also as work continues on the M80 Ring Road in Greensborough.

Victoria’s eastern suburbs will also be affected by public transport disruptions, with buses replacing trains on sections of the Belgrave and Lilydale lines from late January as work ramps up on the Bedford Rd level crossing removal in Ringwood.

City-goers won’t go unscathed as Yarra Trams conducts maintenance and renewal works at the intersection of La Trobe and Swanston streets from January 2 to 11.

Detours will be in place and service changes to tram routes 1,3,5,6,16,30,35,64,67 and 72.

A Department of Transport and Planning spokesman said it was important motorists, particularly from the west, planned ahead before they travelled.

“We thank the community for their patience and understanding while we get on with delivering these important works over the holiday period, which is historically the quietest time of the year on our road network,” they said.