Overnight Closures for Bolte Bridge and West Gate Freeway: Tuesday Commuter Update

Morning Commute Overview

Melbourne commuters can expect a relatively standard run during the peak morning hours of Tuesday, 17 March 2026. However, as the day progresses into the evening, significant maintenance and construction activities across the freeway network and the rail system will begin to impact travel times. Motorists and public transport users are advised to plan their return journeys carefully, particularly those traveling after 8:00 pm.

Major Roadworks and Freeway Disruptions

The most substantial impacts today involve ongoing works for Victoria’s Big Build, specifically the North East Link and West Gate Tunnel projects. On the Eastern Freeway, citybound lanes between Doncaster Road and Bulleen Road remain split into two sections. While all lanes continue toward the CBD, speeds are reduced, and lane changes are restricted through this zone. Additionally, the Bulleen Road citybound exit ramp remains closed as part of a multi-week construction blitz, with detours adding up to 20 minutes to travel times.

Late-night travelers will face the most significant hurdles. Starting from 9:00 pm tonight, the following closures will be in effect:

• West Gate Freeway: Citybound entry and exit lanes will be closed between the M80 interchange and the West Gate Bridge. This includes the closure of citybound ramps at Millers Road and Grieve Parade. These works are scheduled for corrective maintenance and will conclude by 5:00 am Wednesday.
• Bolte Bridge: Three lanes will be closed in both directions overnight for maintenance. A strict 40 km/h speed limit will be enforced, and significant delays are expected for those crossing the bridge between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am.

Public Transport Alerts

Public transport users should be aware of several evening disruptions affecting both metro and regional services. Starting from 8:00 pm, maintenance works will impact the following lines:

• Metro Tunnel / Sunbury Line: Services will not run through the Metro Tunnel (affecting Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall, and Anzac stations). Trains will operate between Sunbury and Footscray only, with shuttle buses connecting passengers from North Melbourne to the impacted underground stations.
• Geelong Line: V/Line maintenance will see coaches replace evening trains for the entire journey between Southern Cross Station and Waurn Ponds. Passengers should allow an additional 40 minutes for their travel.
• Hurstbridge Line: Buses continue to replace trains between Heidelberg and Eltham as part of an ongoing rail systems upgrade.

CBD and Local Street Closures

Within the City of Melbourne, local road renewals may cause minor delays during daylight hours. Vale Street and Berry Street in East Melbourne will experience full road closures between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm for footpath renewal works. In the CBD North, Elizabeth Street remains subject to northbound closures between Franklin Street and Therry Street, which may affect local delivery access and bus movements.