The successful completion of the $40 million West Gate Distributor project was celebrated on Saturday 15 July, with the official opening of a new pedestrian and cycling bridge and traffic flowing over the widened Shepherd Bridge.

The Footscray community, in Melbourne’s inner west, came together on the day to celebrate. Children and adults had the opportunity to hop on one of the special stationary bikes provided and pedal-powered their way to a delicious smoothie, before cycling, walking or running over the new bridge for the first time.

VicRoads awarded Fulton Hogan the contract in December 2015, with major construction commencing on site in April 2016.

The project addressed the bottleneck at Shepherd Bridge while improving traffic flow and freight access to the Port of Melbourne by:

• Widening Moreland Street to a four lane divided road
• Widening and strengthening Shepherd Bridge to provide four Footscray-bound lanes
• Constructing a dedicated crossing over Maribyrnong River for pedestrians and cyclists.

The new shared user path bridge has enhanced the riding experience for people who cycle to and from the CBD, and the bridge is a reflection of Fulton Hogan’s mission to create, care and connect communities.

Throughout the project, the public were regularly updated and informed of any planned works that may cause major disruptions or delays. The project team worked tirelessly to achieve the opening date for the community.

Fulton Hogan Project Manager, Matt Coe said “This project has been a resounding success, underpinned by the collaborative approach we’ve taken with VicRoads in its delivery.

“It’s an absolute credit to the project delivery team, providing the community this great asset that can be used for many years to come. There was a definite sense of pride on the day that formally marked the end of what was a complex and highly exposed development.”