Traffic has started crossing a new bridge over Plenty River in Doreen as part of a major milestone on the Bridge Inn Road upgrade.
Crews opened one lane in each direction on December 18, marking a significant step towards opening all four lanes on the 68-metre bridge, which is expected to occur later in 2024.
Once fully open, the new bridge will remove a bottleneck at the existing two-lane bluestone bridge, which will be repurposed as a walking and cycling path.
Major Road Projects Victoria program director Adrian Furner said the opening was a sign of the upgrade’s strong progress.
“Opening one lane in each direction on the new bridge over Plenty River is a huge milestone for the Bridge Inn Road Upgrade, and a significant step toward fully opening the bridge with all four lanes over the coming year,” he said.
“We’re also moving traffic onto the new westbound lanes between Plenty River and Bassetts Road, so we can start upgrading the existing eastbound lanes through this section as well.”
In another milestone for the upgrade, crews moved traffic onto the new westbound lanes on Bridge Inn Road between Plenty River and Bassetts Road on December 20.
With one lane open in each direction, crews have started upgrading the existing eastbound lanes along the section of the road.
Other traffic arrangements will also be in place throughout 2024. Access will be maintained for emergency services in the area, including Doreen Country Fire Authority.
The new bridge between Mernda and Doreen will ease congestion and improve safety for about 17,000 motorists who travel along Bridge Inn Road daily, while also improving access to Mernda’s railway station and town centre.
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