Just over 10 years since it was first approved, the West Gate Tunnel finally opened to traffic early on Sunday morning.
The first vehicles entered the tunnel under the Yarra River just after midnight on 14 December, bringing to an end a decade of construction, disruptions and cost blow-outs that have plagued the project since it was first proposed by toll operator Transurban and given the go ahead by the state government on 8 December 2015.
Originally projected to cost $5.5 billion, the final price-tag for the West Gate Tunnel project is $10.2 billion.
As well as announcing Sunday as the opening day, on Friday 12 December the state government also revealed the names chosen for the two tunnels by members of the public.
The 4 kilometre outbound tunnel will be known as the Eureka Tunnel and the 2.8 kilometre inbound tunnel will be known as the Bundawanh Tunnel, meaning he-she dug in Bunurong.
In addition to the twin tunnels, the project includes another 9 kilometres of new and upgraded roads between the inner-west and Docklands which Premier Jacinta Allan said would make a huge difference to local motorists.
“With the West Gate Tunnel, you’ll save up to 20 minutes travelling between the city and Melbourne’s west,” Ms Allan said.
“If you don’t use it, it takes 28,000 cars off the West Gate Bridge so there’s less congestion on your drive.”
Roads Minister and Williamstown MP Melissa Horne said the new tunnel would also ease congestion and pollution in the inner west.
“With direct links to the Port of Melbourne and new No-Truck Zones protecting local streets, the West Gate Tunnel Makes communities safer, makes our economy more productive and saves everybody time,” Ms Horne said.
Footscray MP Katie Hall concurred.
“The West Gate Tunnel will take 9000 trucks off local roads every day,” Ms Hall said.
Local campaigners have questioned the environmental benefits of the project, arguing that vehicle emissions from the tunnel’s two ventilation stacks will still damage air quality because of the lack of air filters.
Car drivers will be charged $4.09 to use the tunnel, but $6.54 during peak periods.
