2023 was a bumper year for Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) in Pakenham with the Pakenham Roads Upgrade getting underway while the Healesville-Kooweerup Road Upgrade reached several significant milestones.
-Pakenham Roads Upgrade
MRPV has been hard at work since February last year to build the new bridge over the Princes Freeway, create additional freeway lanes between Healesville-Kooweerup and McGregor roads, and open the first of two new freeway ramps at McGregor Road.
The upgrade is split into three stages, with Stage 2 and 3 working on McGregor and Racecourse Roads, respectively. The later two stages were approved for funding by the Federal Government late last year and MRPV begun them in earnest.
The project’s major 2023 milestones also include:
-Started major works on the Princes Freeway Interchanges Upgrade (Stage 1).
-Started early works on the McGregor Road Upgrade (Stage 2).
-Imported over 90,000 tonnes of recycled dirt, rock and clay to build embankments for the new Healesville-Kooweerup Road bridge over the Princes Freeway.
-Built and tied-in the new McGregor Road inbound exit ramp to the McGregor Road freeway interchange.
-Laid new asphalt on the Princes Freeway between McGregor and Healesville-Kooweerup Roads to prepare for the new freeway lanes.
The project has started 2024 with a major three-week construction blitz on Healesville-Kooweerup Road in January to demolish the existing roundabout and raise the ground level to prepare the area for construction of the new traffic light intersection.
This will be followed by a five-week construction blitz on McGregor Road from late January to early March to upgrade the roundabout between the Princes Freeway and Henry Road/Webster Way, widen the exit ramp and prepare the McGregor Road/ Henry Road/Webster Way intersection for our next stage of construction works.
Major milestones the Pakenham Roads Upgrade will reach in 2024 include:
-Open the new McGregor Road inbound exit ramp in January.
-Lift the bridge beams into place for the new Healesville-Kooweerup bridge over the Princes Freeway in late January and open the new bridge later in the year.
-Install new traffic lights to upgrade the existing intersection of McGregor Road, Webster Way and Henry Road.
-Upgrade the Healesville-Kooweerup Road freeway roundabouts to traffic light intersections in late 2024.
-Lay the top layer of asphalt (wearing course) for Healesville-Kooweerup Road in early-to-mid 2024.
-Healesville-Koowerup Road Upgrade
Several major construction milestones were reached as crews worked to create safer, less-congested roundabouts and start opening the new lanes to traffic on sections of the upgrade.
Roundabouts at Ballarto Road and Hall Road were opened and construction has started on the Deep Creek roundabout.
Works on the Deep Creek bridge – including piling and deck works – have been part of the major works needed to upgrade Healesville-Kooweerup Road and have enabled the recent traffic switch onto the new lanes.
The project’s major 2023 milestones also include:
-Completion of utility relocation.
-Deep Creek bridge construction including the creation of the concrete supports and the bridge deck
-Livestock Way widening works at intersection with Healesville-Kooweerup Road
-Traffic switch and dual lanes in operation between Manks Road and Southeast Boulevard.
-Upgraded Greenhills Road intersection upgrade and installed the new traffic lights ahead of them being turned on in January
-Shared User Path construction and rest areas throughout the upgrade as well upgrading fauna crossings and frog ponds
The Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road Upgrade heads into 2024 as its final year under works, with the team set to reopen Island Road, rebuild the existing road between Manks and Ballarto roads ahead of project completion.
Major milestones the Healesville-Kooweerup Road Upgrade will reach in 2024 include:
-Reopen Island Road to Healesville-Kooweerup Road.
-Rebuild the existing road between Manks Road and Ballarto Road, which when opened will become the northbound lanes of the new road
-Open the whole alignment (10km) to two lanes in each direction
-Complete landscaping, fauna crossings and culverts
-Open the shared use path including rest areas
-Aim for project completion in mid-2024
