Two huge gantry cranes now signal the Ring Road’s EJ Whitten Bridge, the main props in a construction effort that will slot in two more lanes in each direction over the steep Maribrynong River escarpment.
The 13-metre-tall cranes were assembled at the Keilor Park Drive end of the bridge late last month, and are designed to allow lanes to remain open while construction is under way.
The project will widen the bridge from three lanes to five in each direction by connecting it in the centre, where the four new lanes will be built.
Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the gantry cranes would operate remotely to lay huge beams across the centre of the bridge, upon which new road surface will be laid.
“The cranes will move from the Keilor Park Drive end to install 20 bridge beams, weighing up to 1700 tonnes, and lay a new bridge deck all the way along to the Sunshine Avenue end,” Mr Donnellan said.
The M80 Ring Road will be widened from two to four lanes at Sunshine Avenue, and from three to five lanes over the EJ Whitten Bridge right through to the Calder Freeway.
Permanent safety barriers will be installed, and a pedestrian and bicycle path will be upgraded.
There will be some night-time lane closures as works progress, and motorists will be advised well in advance, VicRoads has stated.
The works are part of a $300 million upgrade due for completion towards the end of next year.
