Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel is expected to open to motorists on Sunday, according to sources. The project, which is three years behind schedule, will provide a new major road link between the city’s western suburbs and the central business district.
West Gate Tunnel Opening Imminent
While the government has not officially confirmed the opening date, multiple sources have indicated the tunnel will be ready for traffic this Sunday, with a formal announcement anticipated later today.
Premier Jacinta Allan declined to confirm Sunday as the opening date when questioned on ABC Radio Melbourne on Friday morning. “We’re working through the details and we’ll confirm that date very soon,” she said.
Thousands of Melburnians got their first look inside the tunnel last month. (ABC News: Leanne Wong)
The project’s cost has increased from an initial estimate of $5.5 billion, with $400 million in taxpayer investment, to $10.2 billion, with the state contributing $4.2 billion.
Last month, 50,000 people walked through the tunnel during a “discovery day” event. The event took place despite protests from the United Firefighters Union (UFU), which raised concerns about the tunnel’s safety checks. The government and Major Road Projects Victoria dismissed these concerns, stating the tunnel had been sufficiently tested.
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