William Scott
Major work on Victoria’s Big Build is set to continue over the autumn period of 2025 as the opening of the Metro and West Gate Tunnels approach.
The Victorian Government said as part of this work, another level crossing will be gone for good and the newly aligned Bulleen Road that will connect the Eastern Freeway to the 6.5km North East Link tunnels is taking shape.
Other planned disruptions as work powers ahead around the state include:
Melbourne’s west
As the West Gate Tunnel opening approaches later in 2025, the huge tower crane that was used to build part of the tunnel will be removed. While this is happening, drivers on the West Gate Freeway will experience some outbound lane and ramp closures for two weekends between March and April 2025. Inbound ramp closures will happen from 21 February 2025 until late March 2025 between Grieve Parade and the West Gate Bridge, and inbound traffic will continue to be reduced to three lanes. The inbound entry ramps on Millers Road and Grieve Parade, as well as the Williamstown Road exit ramp, will be closed.
Works will also take place on the M80 Ring Road on weekends in March 2025 to integrate the West Gate Tunnel into the existing freeway network, with some traffic changes while this happens.
Works for the Level Crossing Removal Project will take place during early March 2025 in Melton.
Opening later in 2025, the Metro Tunnel will connect the Sunbury Line with the Cranbourne/Pakenham lines, traveling through five new underground stations. While train testing takes place on a number of weekends from the end of March 2025 through April and May 2025, buses will replace trains on part of the Sunbury Line.
Melbourne’s east
In Melbourne’s east, construction continues on Suburban Rail Loop East as crews prepare sites for tunnelling in 2026.
In Burwood, buses will replace Route 75 trams for part of the journey for two weeks in May 2025, and through autumn there will be lane closures at times in both directions on the Burwood Highway.
Melbourne’s north
As work continues on the Eastern Freeway, lane-splitting is now in place outbound between Burke and Bulleen roads.
Across the North East Link project, there will also be road closures at times including overnight on the Greensborough Bypass and the M80 Ring Road in Greensborough.
Melbourne’s south east
Critical testing and trial operations are underway on the Metro Tunnel, which will connect the Sunbury Line with the Cranbourne/Pakenham lines when it opens.
While testing takes place on a number of weekends from the end of March 2025 through April and May 2025, Cranbourne/Pakenham Line passengers will need to change trains at Caulfield Station for trains to the city. Buses will also replace trains on part of the Cranbourne/Pakenham lines for four days in mid-April 2025.
The Victorian Government said the dangerous and congested level crossing at Station Street in Beaconsfield will be gone for good this autumn, bringing the state a step closer to a boom gate-free Pakenham Line in 2025.
Clayton Road in Clayton will be closed overnight for up to five weeks from late March 2025, and there will also be traffic changes on Blackburn and Ferntree Gully roads in Notting Hill.
Works will take place on the Pakenham Roads Upgrade, with the Princes Freeway closed citybound between McGregor Road to Cardinia Road from the evening of Friday 14 to Monday 17 March 2025.
In early March 2025, works will also be happening as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project in Mordialloc.
Regional Victoria
In regional Victoria, coaches will replace trains on the Gippsland Line for ten days from Friday 21 March 2025 to prepare the line’s new signalling system as well as for most services for four days in mid-April 2025 due to Metro Tunnel train testing.
Coaches will replace trains on the Geelong and Warrnambool lines for part of the journey for two weeks from late March 2025, while crews upgrade level crossings on the Geelong Line and work begins on a stabling upgrade at Warrnambool Station.
