Western Freeway motorists who have endured almost 18 months of roadworks as flexible safety barriers and other upgrades have been installed can breathe a sigh of relief - the project has been completed.
The final safety upgrades between Bacchus Marsh and Leigh Creek have been completed as part of the $37 million works project which has stretched along the Western Freeway from the Western Ring Road to Ballarat.
About 230km of flexible safety barrier and travel time signage have been installed on the Western Freeway as part of the project.
The new barriers also include additional turning points for emergency services and access breaks from every 500m to 1km that allow cars space to pull over during breakdowns and emergencies.
Existing safety barriers on the Western Freeway were hit 236 times in 2018.
"With these major safety upgrades, we've made it safer to drive between Ballarat and Melbourne each and every day," said Roads, Road Safety and TAC minister Jaala Pulford.
"There's no doubt these newly installed safety barriers will save lives and I want to thank drivers for their patience as we have rolled them out."
According to the state government, there were 28 fatalities and 207 serious injuries on the freeway between the Ring Road and Ballarat between 2013 and 2018.
"This section of the Western Freeway is one of the highest risk roads in the state which is why we have invested in these life-saving road upgrades," said Buninyong MP Michaela Settle.
Ballarat Courier
