The first sections of a new four-lane bridge over Plenty River are in place on Bridge Inn Road, Major Roads Projects Victoria (MRPV) has announced.
It follows the installation of the 33 giant beams in May. Two 750-tonne cranes worked in tandem over a series of nights to lift and place the beams – some of which measured up to 32 metres in length, and weighing up to 58 tonnes. These beams are now supporting the bridge base as it rapidly takes shape.
The new 68-metre road bridge – which directly connects Mernda to Doreen – will reduce congestion and improve safety for about 17,000 motorists and 1500 heavy vehicles that travel through this busy stretch of road each day.
It includes four lanes east and westbound, and will boast a surface area of nearly 18,000 square meters.
The existing bridge is a known pinch point for locals, with the new four-lane bridge set to unclog this significant bottleneck and improve access to the Mernda railway station and Mernda Town Centre.
On track to be open to one lane in each direction later in 2023, the new bridge once fully open next year will increase capacity and reduce delays faced by drivers crossing the Plenty River when travelling between Mernda and Doreen, MRPV said.
Program director Adrian Furner said crews were powering ahead over winter to construct the new bridge.
“We’re also improving pedestrian and cycling connections to ensure whether you are travelling by foot, bike, or car, your journey is safer and easier.”
Bridge Inn Road is being widened to accommodate four lanes of traffic, with five key intersections being upgraded to improve traffic flow. Additional capacity will be created at the intersections of Schotters Road, Vantage Point Boulevard and Painted Hills Road with new traffic lights to be installed at Cookes Road and Garden Road.
New traffic lights are also being installed near Ivanhoe Grammar School – Plenty campus, including a pedestrian crossing to improve access to local schools.
The historic bluestone bridge, completed in 1867, will be transformed into a walking and cycling path for the community. This will create a new key shared-use corridor to allow for safer journeys for both pedestrians and bike riders.
Details: bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/mrpv/bridge-inn-road-upgrade.
