A superload weighing in at 320 tonnes will travel by road from Glen Waverly, in Melbourne’s south east, to Murra Warra, east of Dimboola, to transport a transformer for the wind farm currently under construction.
This massive vehicle combination which measures 58 metres long, 4.5 metres wide and 5.5 metres high will be hauled by three trucks in an operation spanning three days to reduce the impact on the road network and alleviate congestion for drivers.
The first leg of the journey will start at 11pm on Sunday 17 February and travel from Glen Waverley, along Westall Road, South Road, Beaconsfield Parade, along Footscray Road and Somerville Road, then onto Western Freeway to Melton where it will park during the day of Monday 18 February.
The second leg of the journey will start at 11pm on Monday 18 February, where a third block truck will be added to the load making it 68.5 metres long. It will travel along Gisborne-Melton Road, left onto Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road, and then onto the Western Freeway at Bacchus Marsh.
The Western Freeway, from Dicksons Road to Old Melbourne Road, will be closed for approximately one hour between 1am and 4am on Tuesday 19 February, as the Superload travels on the opposite side of the road. It will reach Bungaree, south east of Ballarat at around 4am, where it will be parked for the early hours of the morning.
Motorists who plan to travel on the Western Freeway during these hours are advised to consider changing the start time of their journey as there will be significant delays of around 45 minutes as the Superload travels along the opposite side of the road on the Western Freeway.
Above - A truck combination transporting a superload consisting of a transformer enroute to a wind farm near Ararat. - Wilson Tranformer Company photo.
The final leg of the journey will start at 7am on Tuesday 19 February, from Bungraee and arrive in Horsham at approximately 2pm, where it will make its way through the city.
Motorists are advised to keep a safe distance from the convoy and consider not travelling through the area between 2pm and 3pm as the Superload passes through.
From Horsham, it will continue along the Western Highway towards Dimboola before turning east on the Dimboola-Minyip Road and finishing its journey at Murra Warra by around 4pm on Tuesday 19 February.
Traffic lights and signage will be moved and replaced by support crews and steel supports placed over existing drains to ensure the convoy has the safest possible journey and doesn’t damage important infrastructure on the way through.
Plan your journey
Vicroads suggests that motorists who need to travel along the route (below) of the superload during these times plan ahead and recommend that they consider changing the start time of their journey, or allow 45 minutes additional travel time as traffic will not be able to pass the superload.
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