Melbourne’s long‑awaited Westgate Tunnel opened on 14 December 2025, providing a major new connection between the CBD and the city’s western suburbs — nearly eight years after construction first began.

The new tunnels are designed to ease pressure on the heavily congested West Gate Bridge, remove thousands of trucks from residential streets, and improve travel reliability for both commuters and freight operators.

New Direct Access to the Port of Melbourne

For transport and logistics businesses, the tunnel provides a direct in‑and‑out route to the Port of Melbourne via Mackenzie Road, Appleton Dock Road and Hyde Street. This bypasses up to 17 sets of traffic lights, significantly improving travel efficiency, though operators will need to factor in new toll costs.

Commuters travelling from Geelong and Melbourne’s west are expected to save up to 20 minutes, according to project modelling.

New Truck Restrictions Take Effect

With the tunnel now operational, a series of 24/7 No Truck Zones has come into force across the inner west. These apply to:

• Francis Street, Yarraville
• Somerville Road, Yarraville
• Buckley Street, Footscray
• Moore Street, Footscray
• Hudsons Road, Spotswood
• Blackshaws Road, Altona North

A night‑time and weekend curfew is also now active on Williamstown Road (8pm–6am on weekdays and all day on weekends).

A Multi‑Year Build with Major Workforce Involvement

More than 6,000 workers contributed to the delivery of the project, undertaking 62 million hours on site, including 1.8 million hours logged by trainees, apprentices and cadets.

Originally due to open in 2022, the tunnel faced delays and cost escalations, with contaminated soil removal contributing significantly to the final project cost of $10.2 billion, up from the original $5.5 billion estimate.

‘Real Choice’ for Travelers

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan welcomed the opening, saying it will improve travel options for communities across the west.

“The West Gate Tunnel gives people real choice – the bridge or the tunnel – saving families time and reshaping travel across the west,” Allan said.

The tunnel’s opening marks a major milestone for Victoria’s transport network, enhancing freight efficiency and providing long‑term congestion relief for Melbourne’s rapidly growing western corridor.

Source: Fully Loaded (ATN)