Overpass complete and ready for traffic
The $28 million Sand Rd freeway interchange at Longwarry is set to open to traffic tomorrow afternoon.
Sixteen months since works began in October 2015, the long awaited interchange which is set to improve road safety for freeway and local motorists will be open to the public tomorrow.
And the project has come in under budget, delivering savings of $3.7 million.
Vic Roads said the Sand Rd interchange was a significant safety upgrade for this section of the Princes Fwy, which was one of Victoria’s most dangerous black spots.
In the period between 2000 and 2015, 60 casualty crashes were recorded at the intersection including two fatalities.
Seventy per cent of collisions at the intersections were “cross traffic” collisions or when vehicles were turning at the intersection.
Road users accessing the Longwarry and Labertouche communities will no longer be required to pass across fast moving freeway traffic.
Vic Roads said the interchange will improve traffic flow and provide efficiencies for freight and industry operators.
The interchange includes new freeway entry and exit ramps on both sides of the freeway and construction of two roundabouts to provide better and safer connections to Sand Rd, the freeway and service centre.
The speed limit along this section of Princes Fwy was reduced to 80 km/hour for safety reasons in 2009. However, the speed will revert back to 110 km/hour once the interchange opens.
The project was funded by $21.5 million from the federal government and $7.1 million from the state government.