Wikipedia

Western Highway (Victoria)

(Redirected from Western Freeway, Victoria)
See also: Ballarat Road, Melbourne

Western Highway is a major arterial route in western Victoria with a length of approximately 258 kilometres (160 mi) of single carriageway, then 161 kilometres (100 mi) of dual carriageway known as Western Freeway, linking the western suburbs of Melbourne to the border with South Australia at Serviceton.[5][6] It is the Victorian part of the principal route linking the Australian cities of Melbourne and Adelaide, and is a part of the National Highway network, designated routes A8 and M8. The western end continues into South Australia as Dukes Highway, the next section of the Melbourne–Adelaide National Highway.

Western Highway

Western Freeway

Victoria
Coordinates
General information
TypeHighway
Length419 km (260 mi)[3]
GazettedDecember 1913 (as Main Road)[1]
July 1925 (as State Highway)[2]
Route number(s)
  • A8 (2013–present)
    (VIC/SA border–Buangor)
  • M8 (2013–present)
    (Buangor–Derrimut)
Former
route number
  • National Highway A8 (1997–2013)
    (VIC/SA border–Burrumbeet)
  • National Highway M8 (1997–2013)
    (Burrumbeet–Derrimut)
  • National Highway 8 (1974–1997)
    (VIC/SA border–Deer Park)
  • National Route 8 (1955–1974)
    (VIC/SA border–Deer Park)
Major junctions
West end Dukes Highway
VIC/SA border
 
East end Western Ring Road
Derrimut, Melbourne
Location(s)
RegionGrampians, Greater Melbourne[4]
Major settlementsNhill, Dimboola, Horsham, Stawell, Ararat, Beaufort, Ballarat, Ballan, Bacchus Marsh, Melton, Rockbank, Caroline Springs
Highway system

Western Highway is the second-busiest national highway in Australia, in terms of freight movements, with over five million tonnes annually, and provides the link between the eastern seaboard and South Australia and Western Australia.

Route

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A view of the Western Freeway (M8) at Nerrina looking west toward Doodts Road, Ballarat North and Invermay from the Nerrina pedestrian overpass.

Western Highway commences at the state border with South Australia as a continuation of Dukes Highway at Victoria and heads in a south-easterly direction as a two-lane, single carriageway rural highway with numerous overtaking lanes and passes through the agricultural centres of Nhill, Horsham, Stawell and Ararat. Just west of Buangor, Western Highway becomes Western Freeway and widens to a four-lane, dual-carriageway road, and begins bypassing most of the towns the old alignment of the highway used to serve, passing Ballarat, Ballan and Bacchus Marsh, before reaching the western fringes of suburban Melbourne outside Melton; major intersecting roads are grade-separated, however there remain minor intersections at-grade, and cycling is permitted on the sealed shoulder along most of the freeway. The freeway continues through the suburbs of Rockbank and Ravenhall, before eventually terminating at the interchange with Western Ring Road in Derrimut.

Plans are underway for the end of this freeway to be extended from the current terminus just after the Buangor bypass westward towards and eventually to Stawell.

History

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The passing of the Country Roads Act of 1912[7] through the Parliament of Victoria provided for the establishment of the Country Roads Board (later VicRoads) and their ability to declare Main Roads, taking responsibility for the management, construction and care of the state's major roads from local municipalities. (Main) Ballarat Road was declared a Main Road, from Footscray via Braybrook to Melton on 30 December 1913,[1] and from Melton via Bacchus Marsh, Ballan and Bungaree to Ballarat East on 24 August 1914;[8] Horsham (-Dimboola) Road from Horsham to Dimboola, (Dimboola-) Nhill Road between Dimboola and Nhill and Nhill-Kaniva-Border Road between Nhill through Kaniva to the South Australian border, were declared as Main Roads on 17 March 1915;[9] Ballarat-(Ararat-)Stawell Road between Ballarat West through Beaufort and Ararat to Stawell was declared a Main Road on 31 May 1915.[10]

The passing of the Highways and Vehicles Act of 1924[11] provided for the declaration of State Highways, roads two-thirds financed by the State government through the Country Roads Board. Western Highway was declared a State Highway on 1 July 1925,[2] cobbled from a collection of roads from Melbourne through Ballarat, Ararat, Stawell, Horsham, and Dimboola to the interstate border at Serviceton (for a total of 244 miles), subsuming the original declarations of Main Ballarat Road, Ballarat-Stawell Road, Horsham-Dimboola Road, Dimboola-Nhill Road, and Nhill-Kaniva-Border Road as Main Roads. Western By-pass Road was opened in 1969 through Pykes Creek Reservoir, but this was being referred to as Western Freeway by the time the Gordon and Bacchus Marsh bypasses were completed in 1972.

The Whitlam government introduced the federal National Roads Act 1974,[12] where roads declared as a National Highway were still the responsibility of the states for road construction and maintenance, but were fully compensated by the Federal government for money spent on approved projects.[12]: S7  As an important interstate link between the capitals of Victoria and South Australia, Western Highway was declared a National Highway in 1974.[13]

The passing of the Road Management Act 2004[14] granted the responsibility of overall management and development of Victoria's major arterial roads to VicRoads: in 2004, VicRoads re-declared the road as Western Highway (Arterial #6520) between the border with South Australia at Serviceton and Buangor,[5] and as Western Freeway (Freeway #1520) between Buangor and Western Ring Road, Derrimut.[6]

Western Highway was signed as National Route 8 in 1955, then as National Highway 8 when upgraded to a National Highway in 1974. With Victoria's conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in the late 1990s, the section between Burrumbeet and Ardeer (where it met the Western Ring Road) was re-signed as National Highway M8, and between Burrumbeet and the border as National Highway A8; it was left as National Highway 8 east of the ring road along its original alignment into central Melbourne. Once the Deer Park bypass was opened in 2009, National Route M8 was re-routed onto the new bypass and the old alignment of Western Highway between Ravenhall and Footscray was re-declared as Ballarat Road and replaced with Metropolitan Route 8; VicRoads altered National Highway M8 to route M8 and National Highway A8 to route A8 in 2013, bringing their design in line with the rest of the state.[15] Route M8 was extended further west when the next section of converted freeway to Buangor opened in 2016. Former alignments of Western Highway are generally designated sequentially from route C801 to C805, or as Metropolitan Route 8 (within suburban Melbourne).

The newest sections of freeway-standard dual carriageway opened on 6 March 2015 for the Ballarat to Beaufort section (running 25 kilometres (16 mi) in length), and on 17 April 2016 for the Beaufort to Buangor section (running 21 kilometres (13 mi) in length). The first section runs between the end of the Ballarat bypass between a new interchange with the Avenue of Remembrance (route C805) in Burrumbeet to just outside the eastern side Beaufort (including a bypass of Trawalla) providing 156 kilometres (97 mi) of freeway standard road between Melbourne and Beaufort. The second section runs between just outside the western side of Beaufort to just after the Buangor bypass, where it becomes a single carriageway again running all the way to Ararat, providing a further 21 kilometres (13 mi) of freeway standard between Beaufort and just beyond Buangor.

The Melbourne section of Western Highway is shown in the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan as part of the F12 Freeway corridor.

Upgrades and realignments

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Timeline of duplication

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  • 1964/65 – Ballarat East. 2.4 miles (3.9 km) of duplicate carriageway completed east of Ballarat. No exact date given.[16] Now part of route C805 leading from Western Freeway into Ballarat from the east.
  • 1966/67 – Deer Park to Rockbank. 7.12 miles (11.46 km) of dual carriageways completed during financial year 1966/67.[17] Part of this is now Ballarat Road through Deer Park and Caroline Springs.
  • 1966/67 – Dual carriageways from Djerriwarrh Creek to Coimadai Creek completed during financial year 1966/67.[17] Now part of Bacchus Marsh Road between Melton and Bacchus Marsh.
  • 1966/67 – Dual carriageways 1.83 miles (2.95 km) east of Pykes Creek Reservoir completed during financial year 1966/67.[17]
  • 1967/68 – Rockbank to Melton East. Construction completed of over 3 miles (4.8 km) of dual carriageways during financial year 1967/68.[18]
  • 1969 – Pykes Creek Reservoir: Western By-pass Road is completed, running four miles east and west of Pykes Creek Reservoir.[19]
  • 1972 – Bacchus Marsh bypass. 5.88 miles (9.46 km) opened 30 June 1972, by the Hon. Sir Henry Bolte, GCMG, MP, at a cost of A$4.3m.[20]
  • 1972 – Gordon section. 5.74 miles (9.24 km) opened 5 May 1972, by the Board's chairman, Mr R E V Donaldson, at a cost of A$2.2m.[20]
  • 1973 – Pentland Hills to Myrniong section. 1 mile (1.6 km) completed from Korkuperrimul Creek to the Lion Park interchange, early 1973.[21]
  • 1974 – Pentland Hills section. 4.8 kilometres (3.0 mi) ‘west of Bacchus Marsh’ opened 1974.[22]
  • 1975 – Myrniong bypass opened 3 October 1975, by the Minister for Transport, the Hon. E. R. Meagher, CBE, ED, at a cost of A$3.28m. The 5.9 kilometres (3.7 mi) bypass of Myrniong completed '80 km of the 100km between Melbourne and Ballarat [as] dual carriageways'.[23]
  • 1978 – Ballan bypass. 8.4 kilometres (5.2 mi) opened 15 June 1978, by the Hon. J. A. Rafferty, Minister for Transport, at a cost of A$9.8m.[24]
  • 1983 – Wallace and Bungaree bypass opened 9 March 1983, by the Premier of Victoria, the Hon. John Cain MP. The 11.9 kilometres (7.4 mi) bypass cost A$23.6m.[25]
  • 1987 – Melton bypass. The 'freeway work' was opened to traffic on 7 July 1987, with the remainder of works expected to be completed by April 1988. The 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi) bypass cost A$44.2m.[26][27]
  • 1989 – 5.6 km bypass of Dimboola opened in May.[28]
  • 1993 – Ballarat bypass: The first stage, a single carriageway section from Woodmans Hill to Midland Highway, is opened in December 1993, at a cost of A$62m.[29]
  • 1994 – Ballarat bypass: The second stage of the initial 26 kilometres (16 mi) single carriageway by-pass is opened to traffic in December 1994.[30]
  • 1995 – Ballarat bypass: Second carriageway opened to traffic between Woodmans Hill and Gillies Street in December 1995, at a cost of A$25m.[31]
  • 1998 – Ballarat bypass: The final section opened in February 1998, featuring the duplication of the original single carriageway bypass from Gillies Street to Sunraysia Highway.[32]
  • 2001 – The new elevated Hopkins Road Interchange was opened to traffic on 12 July 2001, at a cost of $13.1 million.[33] Before the construction of the new interchange, the intersection of Hopkins Road (Melton-Werribee Road) with Western Freeway at Rockbank was improved using Black Spot Program funds in 1989 and 1991, but a long-term solution to the congestion and crashes at this location was the construction of an elevated interchange.[34]
  • 2009 – Deer Park bypass opened to traffic on 5 April 2009, at a cost of A$331m, jointly funded by the state and federal governments. In conjunction with these works, the new Leakes Road interchange at Rockbank was opened in August 2008.[35] This provided a freeway interchange onto the Western Ring Road.
  • 2011 – Anthony's Cutting realignment. A new 5-kilometre (3.1 mi) realignment constructed to the south of the previous section of highway, bypassing the steep grades and tight curves of the old alignment between Melton and Bacchus Marsh. The A$200m project was ‘mostly’ open to traffic in June 2011.[36]
  • 2013 – Ballarat to Burrumbeet. 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) duplication opened to traffic 31 January 2013.[37]
  • 2015 – Burrumbeet to Beaufort opened to traffic on 18 February 2015 adding a further 26 kilometres (16 mi) of dual carriageway and includes a bypass of Trawalla however the highway still passes through both Burrumbeet (as dual carriageway) and Beaufort (as single carriageway).[38]
  • 2016 – Beaufort to Buangor opened to traffic in April 2016 adding a further 21 kilometres (13 mi) of dual carriageway to the existing freeway, which includes the Buangor bypass.

Deer Park Bypass

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Eastbound on the Deer Park Bypass approaching the Western Ring Road interchange

The Deer Park Bypass opened on 5 April 2009 in the western suburbs of Melbourne. The freeway links Western Freeway at Ravenhall and the Western Ring Road in Derrimut. This 9.3 kilometre freeway was estimated to cost A$333 million which also includes a grade separated (or "full diamond") interchange at Leakes Road in Rockbank.

The purpose of the freeway bypass is to move traffic off Ballarat Road, which leads to the Western Ring Road. Due to the strong population growth of about 8.7 per cent and subdivision in Deer Park and Sunshine, the surrounding suburbs and the seven traffic signals between the Western Ring Road and the start of Western Freeway, substantial long and very frustrating delays were created for the 70,000 vehicles per day with 10 per cent of this consisting of heavy vehicles.

The bypass had been proposed since the completion of the Western Ring Road, the project stalled due to funding quarrels between the Federal and State Governments. In 2004, the Federal government announced that the Deer Park Bypass would be built as part of a $1.4 billion project "package grant" to Victoria. It was anticipated that more than 15 min of travel time would be saved when travelling through Deer Park, via Ballarat Road. Construction started on the Deer Park bypass in August 2006,[39] work being carried out as a joint venture by Leighton Contractors and VicRoads, in construction with two contracts. The first stage, allowing westbound traffic over the new bridge at the Ravenhall end of the new freeway, opened in December 2007.[40]

It was announced on 4 March 2009 that the Deer Park Bypass would open in early April 2009, with the new freeway link on track to open more than eight months ahead of schedule. On that day, Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas and Federal Member for Gorton Brendan O'Connor MP inspected works from the new bridge over the Ring Road at Sunshine West and Tim Pallas announced that the $331 million Deer Park Bypass would open to the public on Sunday 5 April 2009.[41]

Anthony's Cutting realignment

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Alignment of the road over Djerriwarrh Creek, before the opening of the Anthony's Cutting realignment

The section of road through Anthony's Cutting between Bacchus Marsh and Melton was one of the most dangerous sections of the route, and was not of modern freeway standard. The steep hills and tight curves along the 5 kilometre long stretch of road resulted in 21 serious crashes in the five years to 2010.[42] More than 29,000 vehicles, including more than 4000 freight vehicles, travelled the highway section daily.[43] The new route opened to traffic on 27 June 2011, nine months ahead of schedule.[44]

The project included:[45]

  • Extension of Woolpack Road north from Bacchus Marsh Road to a new interchange on Western Freeway, including a bridge over the Lerderderg River.
  • An overpass carrying Bulmans Road over the existing Western Freeway.
  • An overpass taking Hopetoun Park Road across the new freeway, with Melbourne-bound on and off ramps.
  • Freeway bridges spanning Djerriwarrh Creek, and Cowans Road / Pyrites Creek.

The original project scope included a diamond interchange at Bulmans Road that has not been built, while the ramps at Hopetoun Park Road were not included but was later added.[46] The extension of Woolpack Road has been delayed due to controversy over need to clear trees in the heritage listed Avenue of Honour at Bacchus Marsh.[47]

Realignment of the road through this section had been proposed far back as 2001, when a group of 10 local councils said the realignment could cost just $65 million to build.[48] By 2006 the cost was estimated to be $85 million, with federal Roads Minister Jim Lloyd stating that the project would receive serious consideration for funding in the 2009 AusLink document, subject to support from the State Government.[49] Construction commenced in February 2010, funded by $160 million from the Australian Government and $40 million from the Victorian Government.[50]

Armstrong deviation

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In 2001 work started on a 4.2 kilometre long deviation at Armstrong (on the Adelaide side of Ararat), involving 200,000 cubic metres of earthworks and a new bridge over the main Melbourne–Adelaide railway. Previously high vehicles could not travel under the rail overpass and were forced to detour around it, in addition the poor road conditions led to a number of accidents and fatalities.[51] Costing $6.1 million the work was completed by 2003.[52]

Future upgrades

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As of 2017, several at-grade intersections remained on the "freeway", particularly in the areas near Rockbank and at Woodmans Hill just to the east of Ballarat.

  • Proposed upgrade and safety improvements Rockbank to Melton, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009–2014)[1].
  • Proposed extension west from the current freeway terminus in the Melbourne side of Beaufort West through to Ararat and eventually to Stawell, also part of Auslink 2. Beaufort to Buangor was completed in April 2016. Buangor Bypass completed in mid-2016, and Buangor to Ararat was expected to start in early 2017.[38][needs update]

Duplication of Western Highway between Ballarat and Stawell was proposed to be completed between 2009 and 2014, to be funded by Auslink 2.[53] At the end of 2016, some parts were still in early planning, including the bypasses at Beaufort and Ararat.[54][needs update]

The clearing of wide swathes of the ancient red gums by VicRoads near Beaufort resulted in expressions of community concern, including public meetings. In 2015, two women chained themselves to a red gum tree for 4½ hours near Buangor, 74 kilometres (46 miles) west of Ballarat, to draw attention to the issue. Isabel Mackenzie, a long-term resident of the area, said she was concerned at the environmental impact of removing trees that are hundreds of years old. Helen Lewers said that VicRoads should reroute the highway between Buangor and Stawell to preserve the native roadside vegetation.[55]

Exits and major intersections

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StateLGALocation[3][5][6]km[3]miDestinationsNotes
South AustraliaTatiaraWolseley419260  Dukes Highway (A8) – Bordertown, Tailem Bend, AdelaideSoutheastern terminus of Dukes Highway, route A8 continues east
State borderSouth Australia – Victoria state border
VictoriaWest WimmeraKaniva  Western Highway (A8)Western terminus of Western Highway
394245Melbourne–Adelaide railway
392244  Kaniva–Edenhope Road (C208) – Edenhope
HindmarshNhill356221  Nhill–Harrow Road (C206) – Harrow
354220  Nhill–Yanac Road (C225) – Yanac
353219  Nhill–Netherby Road (C224) – Netherby
352219  Nhill–Jeparit Road (C223) – Jeparit
Wimmera River322200Bridge (no known official name)
HindmarshDimboola318198  Dimboola–Rainbow Road (C227) – Jeparit, Rainbow, Dimboola
318198Melbourne–Adelaide railway
315196  Borung Highway (C234) – Warracknabeal, Donald
314195  Horsham Road (C227) – Dimboola
HorshamWail306190Melbourne–Adelaide railway
Horsham280170  Blue Ribbon Road (C231) – Wallup
   Henty Highway (B200/B240) – Warracknabeal, St Arnaud, MilduraNorthern terminus for concurrency with A200 and B240 through Horsham
279173  Wimmera Highway (B240) – Edenhope, NaracoorteSouthern terminus for concurrency with B240
Wimmera River278173Bridge (no known official name)
HorshamHorsham278173  Horsham–Lubeck Road (C215) – Longerenong, Drung
277172  Henty Highway (A200) – Hamilton, PortlandSouthern terminus for concurrency with A200
Bungalally266165  Ballyglunin North Road (C215) – Drung, Longerenong
Drung263163  Northern Grampians Road (C222) – Halls Gap
Northern GrampiansDeep Lead226140  Stawell–Warracknabeal Road (B210) – Glenorchy, Warracknabeal
Stawell215134  Grampians Road (C216) – Halls Gap
214133  Pomonal Road (C221) – Pomonal, Avoca
211131  London Road (C238) – Stawell,
to   Donald–Stawell Road – Donald
Great Western203126Melbourne–Adelaide railway
AraratArarat185115  Pyrenees Highway (B180) – Glenthompson, Avoca, Maryborough, Castlemaine
183114  Ararat–Halls Gap Road (C222) – Pomonal, Halls Gap
Melbourne–Adelaide railway (level crossing)
Buangor168104Melbourne–Adelaide railway
161100Buangor–Ben Nevis Road – Buangor, BayindeenEastern terminus of Western Highway and route A8
Western terminus of Western Freeway and route M8
PyreneesBeaufort14389Melbourne–Adelaide railway
14188  Beaufort–Lexton Road (C172 north) – Lexton, Talbot
  Skipton Road (C172 south) – Skipton
BallaratBurrumbeet11471  Remembrance Drive (Ballarat–Burrumbeet Road) (C805) – Burrumbeet, Ballarat
Windermere11370Melbourne–Adelaide railway
Miners Rest–Mitchell Park boundary10968  Sunraysia Highway (B220) – Avoca, St Arnaud, Donald, Ouyen
10766  Ballarat–Maryborough Road (C287) – Ballarat, Maryborough
Wendouree–Mount Rowan boundary10565  Gillies Road (C307) – Wendouree, ClunesWestbound exit and eastbound entry only
10364  Midland Highway (A300) – Bendigo, Castlemaine, Creswick, Geelong
Brown Hill9760  Ballarat–Daylesford Road (C292) – Brown Hill, Daylesford
Warrenheip–Brown Hill boundary9559  Victoria Street (Ballarat–Burrumbeet Road) (C805) – Ballarat, BurrumbeetWestbound exit and eastbound entry only
Warrenheip9257Brewery Tap Road (north) – Gong Gong
Old Melbourne Road (south) – Dunnstown		At-grade
MooraboolLeigh Creek8855Black Swamp Road (north) – Bullarook
Forbes Road (south) – Leigh Creek, Kryal Castle		At-grade
8754  Bungaree–Wallace Road (C804) – BungareeAt-grade
Bungaree–Springbank boundary7748Ormond Road (north) – Springbank
   Bungaree–Wallace Road (C291/C804 south) – Wallace, Creswick
Gordon7245Moorabol West Road (north) – Bunding
Brougham Street (south) – Gordon		Westbound exit via Butter Factory Road
Ballan6239  Ballan–Daylesford Road (C141) – Ballan, Daylesford
5937BP Service Centre
5735  Old Melbourne Road (C803) – Ballan
Myrniong5132  Greendale–Myrniong Road (C318) – Greendale, Kyneton
Myrniong–Pentland Hills boundary4528Pentland Hills Road – Pentland Hills
Pentland Hills4226Pentland Hills Road (north) – Pentland Hills
Mortons Road (south) – Pentland Hills		Eastbound exit and westbound entrance only
Darley–Bacchus Marsh boundary4025  Bacchus Marsh Road (C802) – Bacchus MarshWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
3924Halletts Way – Bacchus MarshEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
3824  Bacchus Marsh–Gisborne Road (C704) – Geelong, Gisborne
Lerderderg River3723Bridge (no known official name)
MooraboolBacchus Marsh–Merrimu boundary3321Old Western Highway (east) – Melton
  Bacchus Marsh Road (C802 west) – Bacchus Marsh		Westbound and eastbound exits only
Hopetoun Park3119Hopetoun Park Road – Hopetoun ParkEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
MeltonBrookfield–Melton–Melton West–Melton South quadripoint2516  Coburns Road (C801) – Exford, Melton
Melton–Cobblebank boundary2214   Ferris Road (Melton Highway) (C754/C801) – Melton, Gisborne, Taylors Lakes
Rockbank169.9Leakes Road – Rockbank, Plumpton
116.8  Hopkins Road (C702) – Werribee, Diggers Rest
Ravenhall85.0  Ballarat Road (Metro Route 8) – Deer Park, Sunshine, FootscrayEastbound entrance and westbound exit only
74.3Christies Road – Caroline SpringsWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
BrimbankDerrimut10.62  Robinsons Road (A91) – Tarneit, Burnside
Derrimut–Sunshine West boundary00.0    Western Ring Road (M80/Tourist Route 21) – Geelong, Seymour, Melbourne AirportEastern terminus of Western Freeway and route M8
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 28 January 1914. p. 320. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Country Roads Board Victoria. Twelfth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1925". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 31 December 1925. p. 3.
  3. ^ a b c "Western Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Victoria's Regions". Regional Development Victoria. Victoria State Government. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  5. ^ a b c VicRoads. "VicRoads – Register of Public Roads 2024" (PDF). Government of Victoria. pp. 927–9. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  6. ^ a b c VicRoads. "VicRoads – Register of Public Roads 2024" (PDF). Government of Victoria. pp. 22–4. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  7. ^ An Act relating to Country Roads State of Victoria, 23 December 1912
  8. ^ "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 9 September 1914. p. 3979. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 24 March 1915. pp. 1099–1100, 1102. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 16 June 1915. p. 2111. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  11. ^ An Act to make further provision with respect to Highways and Country Roads Motor Cars and Traction Engines and for other purposes State of Victoria, 30 December 1924
  12. ^ a b National Roads Act 1974 (Cth)
  13. ^ "Country Roads Board Victoria. Sixty-Second Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1975". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 3 November 1975. p. 26.
  14. ^ State Government of Victoria. "Road Management Act 2004" (PDF). Government of Victoria. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
  15. ^ VicRoads (September 2013). "Direction Signs and Route Numbering (non-Freeway)". Traffic Engineering Manual (3 ed.). State Government of Victoria. p. 34. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2014. The use of National Highway shields for routes M/A8, A20, M31, M/A39 and M80 has been discontinued. They are now signed in the same way as other alphanumeric routes
  16. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Fifty-Second Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1965, Melbourne, Victoria: Government Printer, 1965. p. 16
  17. ^ a b c Country Roads Board Victoria. Fifty-Fourth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1967, Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1968. p. 35
  18. ^ "Country Roads Board Victoria. Fifty-Fourth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1967". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 12 January 1968. p. 35.
  19. ^ "Country Roads Board Victoria. Fifty-Sixth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1969". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. March 1970. pp. 6, 45.
  20. ^ a b "Country Roads Board Victoria. Fifty-Ninth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1972". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 1 November 1972. pp. 6–7.
  21. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Sixtieth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1973, Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1973. p. 5
  22. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Sixty-First Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1974, Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1974. p. 4
  23. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Sixty-Third Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1976, Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1976
  24. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Sixty-Fifth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1978, Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1978. p. 9
  25. ^ Country Roads Board Victoria. Activity Report 1982/83, Kew, Victoria: Country Roads Board Victoria, 1983. p. 8
  26. ^ Road Construction Authority Victoria. Annual Report 1986-87, Kew, Victoria: Road Construction Authority, Victoria, 1987. p. 64
  27. ^ Road Construction Authority Victoria. Annual Report 1987-88
  28. ^ "Ministry of Transport Annual Report 1988–1989" (PDF). Victoria Transport. p. 12. ISSN 0816-1143. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  29. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 1993-94, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 1994, p. 17
  30. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 1994-95, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 1995, p. 10
  31. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 1995-56, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 1996, p. 15
  32. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 1997-98, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 1998, p. 32
  33. ^ Vic Roads 2001
  34. ^ BUDGET 2001-2002 Media Release. John Anderson, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Transport and Regional Services. FEDERAL ROADS BUDGET FOR VICTORIA JUMPS 77 PER CENT, 2001 Budget 8 22 May 2001
  35. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 2008-09, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 2009, p. 42
  36. ^ VicRoads. VicRoads Annual Report 2010-11, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 2011, p. 10
  37. ^ VicRoads. Annual Report 2012-13, Kew, Victoria: VicRoads, 2013, p. 20
  38. ^ a b "Western Highway upgrades". VicRoads. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  39. ^ "VicRoads Annual Report 2006-07". VicRoads. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 24 August 2007. p. 40.
  40. ^ First milestone reached on the Deer Park Bypass
  41. ^ Media Release - Deer Park ByPass to open in early April 2009
  42. ^ "$200 Million Anthony's Cutting Project Underway". Media release issued by the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Prime Minister; Tim Pallas, Victorian Roads Minister; and Catherine King, Member for Ballarat. 18 February 2010. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  43. ^ "Anthony's Cutting to open early". The Courier. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  44. ^ "Anthony's Cutting realignment open to traffic". Melton Leader. 27 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  45. ^ "Project Overview". Western Highway Realignment Project. Archived from the original on 22 April 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  46. ^ "Angry Hopetoun Park residents petition MP". Melton Leader. 3 October 2009. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  47. ^ Carolyn Webb (13 August 2010). "Heritage listing puts project on hold". The Age. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  48. ^ MARIZA FIAMENGO (31 October 2001). "Campaign unveiled for safe highway". The Courier. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  49. ^ "Positive response to highway upgrade plan". The Courier. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  50. ^ "Western Highway - Realignment of Anthonys Cutting between Melton and Bacchus Marsh". nationbuildingprogram.gov.au. 18 May 2011. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
  51. ^ "Works to start on Armstrong deviation". Stawell Times News. www.stawelltimes.com.au. 2 November 2001. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  52. ^ John Anderson (14 May 2002). "Federal Government Keeps Victoria Moving". Budget Media Releases 2002–03. www.infrastructure.gov.au. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  53. ^ "Western Highway Duplication – Ballarat to Stawell" (PDF). Department of Transport, State Government of Victoria, Australia. p. 58. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  54. ^ "Beaufort Bypass". Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Government of Victoria. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  55. ^ Hatch, Patrick (16 March 2015). "Grandmother, 91 chains herself to tree in Victoria's west to protest roadwork". The Age. Retrieved 29 December 2016.


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