Stage one of the Mickleham Road Upgrade has reached another major milestone, with works to protect around 665 metres of the Somerton jet fuel pipeline now complete.
Major Road Projects Victoria completed the key works to protect the pipeline in December, in another big step forward for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians towards a safer and less congested commute in Greenvale.
Since January, specialised workers have added significant layers of protection to the jet fuel pipeline beneath Somerton Road.
Trenches up to 2.5 metres deep were excavated to allow for the protective layers to be added to the existing fuel line. In total, 18,000 tonnes of material was removed to allow for the works to take place. During these critical works, crews worked carefully to ensure the supply of jet fuel to Melbourne Airport, which serviced over 30 million passengers in the past financial year alone, was uninterrupted.
With this work now complete, works to turn the Somerton and Mickleham roads roundabout into a fully signalised intersection, with extra lanes and dedicated turning lanes, will ramp up.
The federal and state governments are investing $222 million to upgrade Mickleham Road Upgrade between Somerton Road and Dellamore Boulevard in Greenvale – improving safety and travel times for thousands of motorists in Melbourne’s growing north.
Major Road Projects Victoria program director Adrian Furner said great progress was being made on the first stage of the upgrades.
“Protection works on the jet fuel pipeline to Melbourne Airport now complete,” he said.
“Our crews will now ramp up their efforts above ground to upgrade the Mickleham-Somerton roads intersection to improve safety and ease congestion for road users as they travel through the area.”
Mickleham Road currently carries about 25,000 vehicles per day and this number is forecast to increase due to the rapid growth in the area. This vital upgrade will reduce congestion and make it safer for people to drive, cycle and walk along Mickleham Road.
New walking and cycling paths will be built on each side of the road for pedestrians and cyclists, improving connections to nearby public transport options.
