West Gate Freeway

Infobox Australian Road | type=freeway
road_name = West Gate Freeway
route_

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route_

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route_

photo =
caption = Formerly
length = 14
direction = West-East
start =
finish =
est = 1971
through = Altona North, Spotswood, Port Melbourne
route = "Spotswood - Docklands:" )
exits = "'

"for full list see Exits and Intersections"

West Gate Freeway (formerly the Lower Yarra Freeway) is a freeway in Melbourne, Australia, linking Geelong to Melbourne CBD and beyond. It is also a link between Melbourne and the west and linking industrial and residential areas west of the Yarra River with the city and port areas. The iconic West Gate Bridge is a part of the freeway. The inner section of the freeway is currently being upgraded.

History

The freeway was originally designated in the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan as the F9 Freeway corridor. The freeway was originally constructed in the late 1960s and was open for traffic by 1971, stretching from the intersection of the Princes Highway and Little Boundary Road in Altona North (later enlarged and named the West Gate Interchange) eastwards to Melbourne/Williamstown Roads just west of the mouth of the Yarra, initially designated with a F-82 shield. At the time, the only way to cross the Yarra west of the CBD was via a ferry crossing, which naturally saw far heavier demands once the Lower Yarra Freeway was officially opened.

The West Gate Bridge across the Yarra had started construction not too long before the opening of the freeway, and although delayed, when finally completed in 1978 allowed the freeway to extend over the river and directly into the CBD's south-western corner (via Rogers and Lorimer Streets). The freeway's name was changed to the West Gate Freeway to commemorate its opening, but the freeway also attracted tolls from anyone using the bridge (between Melbourne/Williamstown Road and Rogers Street) between 16 November 1978 and 29 November 1985. [cite web
url=http://mrv.ozroads.com.au/highway1/westgate/westgate.htm
title=M1 West Gate Freeway
publisher=mrv.ozroads.com.au
accessdate=2008-05-13] The toll plaza was located on the city side of the bridge where the service stations are now located. [cite web
url=http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/maribyrnong/miscellaneous/1449.html
title=Miscellaneous:1977. West Gate Bridge Toll Plaza
publisher=www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au
accessdate=2008-05-13] National Route 1 - previously designated along Geelong Road (Princes Highway West) and through the CBD via Smithfield and Flemington Roads and King Street - was altered to use the freeway instead and rejoin Kings Way via Rogers, Lorimer and Clarendon Streets.

Due to how much extra traffic the West Gate Freeway was attracting, and also due to safety concerns having most of it filtered through connector streets in South Melbourne, the freeway was finally extended to Kings Way above the Grant Street intersection using elevated carriageways in 1987. Expansion of the original two lane freeway on the western side of the bridge to three lanes each way was carried out in 1993, and expansion to four lanes followed in 2000. With the subsequent completion of the Western Ring Road joining the West Gate Interchange to the freeway's west and CityLink to the freeway's east, it also funnels traffic from northern and western suburbs around Melbourne, acting as a bypass freeway.

The entire freeway has been given an M1 designation. It gains the Tourist 2 shield at the Melbourne/Williamstown Road interchange in Spotswood, and loses it at the Montague Street interchange in Port Melbourne.

2008 Upgrade

Traffic volumes on the West Gate Freeway have grown steadily since opening, and today it carries up to 180,000 vehicles every day. Congestion frequently occurs at the Montague Street and Bolte Bridge interchanges due to conflicting traffic movements on and off the freeway. On May 1, 2008 the Minister for Roads and Ports Tim Pallas announced design details for the West Gate Freeway improvements. [cite web
url=http://www.mcwupgrade.com.au/documents/File/M1%20Final%20Design%20MR.pdf
title=Media Release from the Minister for Roads and Ports: M1 UPGRADE STARTS TO TAKE SHAPE
date=1 May, 2008
publisher=www.mcwupgrade.com.au
accessdate=2008-05-13]

They are:

* the addition of a new elevated road structure joining the outbound Kings Way on-ramp to the Freeway
* new traffic ramps over Montague Street
* an additional dedicated exit ramp from the Bolte Bridge to the Freeway
* widening of the freeway between Todd Road and Montague Street
* redesign of the Montague Street interchange. To see a map of the new design, click here [] .

These works will help reduce merging and weaving movements at key points on the freeway and will lead to a smoother traffic flow and improved driver safety. As part of the works the Montague Street on-ramp city bound has been closed for approximately 18 months to enable the new one to be built. [cite web
url=http://www.mcwupgrade.com.au/news.php?NewsId=21
title=May 2008 - M1 upgrade starts to take shape
work= Monash - CityLink - West Gate upgrade
publisher=www.mcwupgrade.com.au
accessdate=2008-05-13]

Early works on the West Gate Freeway, including geotechnical investigations and service proving, commenced in late 2007. In early 2008 construction works started on the freeway widening, specifically in the South Melbourne area. New traffic lanes and ramps will be completed and opened in different stages with the total project scheduled for completion in late 2010.

Route

Road Conditions

The West Gate Freeway officially begins at the West Gate Interchange in Altona North, with four lanes running in each direction. The freeway flows from the Western Ring Road also provided with city bound exit and Geelong bound entry ramps.

Soon after the bridge crossing, the freeway becomes elevated for its remaining length, with access ramps to Melbourne's central business district. Continuing to drive eastward on the freeway after the Power Street exit results in entering the electronically tolled CityLink, and travelling through the Burnley Tunnel.

Exits and Intersections

ee also

*Freeways in Australia
*Freeways in Melbourne
* Road transport in Victoria

References

* [http://mrv.ozroads.com.au/highway1/westgate/westgate.htm West Gate Freeway at Main Roads Victoria]

External links

* [http://www.westgatebridge.org/ West Gate Bridge Memorial Committee]
** [http://www.westgatebridge.org/gallery.html Construction image gallery]
* [http://www.mcwupgrade.com.au/ Monash-CityLink-West Gate upgrade]