The West Gate Freeway provides a vital link with other parts of Melbourne's road network. It intersects with other freeways to physically join the north, east and west of the city and runs through a cross section of residential, commercial, recreational and civic areas.
The urban design features on the upgraded freeway will enhance the experience of the 160,000 motorists who use the road every day. It will complement the road network , while challenging conventional concepts of road building and design, and provoking thought.
The urban design features represent a commitment to improving all aspects of the road network and acknowledge a responsibility to provide more than just a route from one destination to the next.
Click here to view an animation which gives an overview of the West Gate Freeway upgrade, including the urban design elements.
Key urban design features
Key urban design features on the West Gate Freeway will include:
Montague Street intersection portals
Two impressive portal structures will be constructed at the Montague Street intersection where multiple tiers of bridges pass over a major local road. They will cover and visually shield the vertical concrete structures which support the ramps while providing a marker for freeway traffic.
West Gate wayfinding walls
Located at the junction between the Bolte Bridge exit ramps and the West Gate Freeway, the wayfinding walls mark the meeting point of two major road systems. Two elongated triangular blocks will be installed alongside the freeway, underneath the new ramp being constructed from the Bolte Bridge.
For more information on the urban design features on the West Gate Freeway upgrade, download the urban design brochure here