Sunbury Road motorists can now enjoy a safer and more efficient journey over Jacksons Creek, thanks to the early opening of a new two-lane road bridge which welcomed traffic for the first time on Friday 27 October 2023.
Member for Sunbury Josh Bull toured the structure over the Jacksons Creek to announce the State Government’s opening of the creek crossing four months ahead of schedule.
With the open of the bridge the Sunbury Road Upgrade takes a massive step towards early completion in December – 12 months ahead of schedule and 12 months after the removal of the Gap Road level crossing.
The new bridge improves safety and reliability along Sunbury Road by removing a known pinch point, improving safety and delivering a smoother journey for the 25,000 vehicles that will travel over this critical piece of infrastructure every day. Previously motorists travelling in either direction would merge from two lanes into one.
The bridge will initially open to one lane of traffic in each direction – allowing crews to complete the anti-carbonation coating of all concrete elements, installation of lighting along with other minor finishing works such as land-scaping.
New walking and cycling paths to open later this year for safer access to nearby shops, schools and open spaces along the Jacksons Creek.
The new shared path on the eastern side of the bridge will boost safety for cyclists and pedestrians when it opens, catering for people heading to and from Sunbury’s central retail and services precinct.
Sunbury Road is being widened from two to four lanes between Powlett Street and Bulla-Diggers Rest Road/Loe-mans Road, with traffic flow to be improved during peak times thanks to the additional lanes and also new traffic lights that have replaced roundabouts at Francis Boulevard and Lancefield Road.
As part of the upgrade, permanent road safety barriers are progressively being installed and shared user paths built and upgraded, improving safety for local cyclists, pedestrians and families.
It comes as new High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMTs) are introduced early on the Sunbury line after months of testing, to ensure services run smoothly and the new trains can operate seamlessly on the corridor when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025.
“Today, not only can Sunbury road users enjoy a smoother, faster journey across the Jacksons Creek Bridge – we’ve delivered it ahead of schedule, so people can spend more of the upcoming summer with loved ones, rather than stuck in traffic. We’re getting on with our massive amount of works on Victoria’s Big Build in Sunbury – with projects like the Sunbury Line Upgrade and Gap Road Level Crossing Removal done and the Sunbury Road Upgrade adding to the transformation this growing community travels.”
said Member for Sunbury Josh Bull.
“Drivers have been incredibly patient while crews built this road bridge over the Jacksons Creek – now it’s done we can get on with the rest of this much needed project. The new two-lane bridge will double capacity over the Jacksons Creek, removing a pinch point that has frustrated drivers in this community for years.”
said Big Build Roads Program Director Dipal Sorathia.
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