Victoria pledges $550m for Western Freeway
The Victorian Government has pledged $550 million to upgrade the Western Freeway between Melton and Caroline Springs ahead of the November state election.
Premier Ben Carroll announced the funding commitment on Sunday, saying the proposed project would deliver about 30 kilometres of new traffic lanes, with some sections of the freeway widened to four lanes in each direction.
The Ferris Road, Leakes Road and Hopkins Road interchanges are expected to be upgraded under the plan, while a new half interchange has been proposed at Mount Cottrell Road to give local drivers direct access on and off the freeway.
“I said as a new premier my first task is to listen to what Victorians’ needs are,” Mr Carroll said.
He said planning was already underway using federal funding, and the state commitment represented Victoria “coming to the table as well”.
The announcement adds to the $1 billion committed by the Commonwealth in 2025, taking the combined proposed funding from the two governments to about $1.55 billion. The federal government also allocated $50 million in May 2026 for pre-construction work, including detailed planning, design and site investigations. The $50 million forms part of the Commonwealth’s $1 billion commitment.
According to the Department of Infrastructure, more than 86,000 vehicles use the corridor each day, a figure expected to reach about 113,000 by 2031.
Melton City Council has been advocating for new train stations and road upgrades ahead of the election. In documents outlining its position, the council said major arterial roads in the City of Melton were not suitable for the existing volume of traffic.
The council says the municipality’s population is growing by 6.61 per cent a year, compared with a Melbourne average of 2 per cent.
The Opposition was contacted for comment.
The government has not announced a construction start date.
Source:Minister of Infastructure
