Melbourne’s West Gate Tunnel, a $10.2 billion project, will officially open on Sunday after years of delays and challenges. The 6.8 km of tunnels and 9.2 km of elevated roads will provide a new river crossing, easing traffic by offering an alternative to the West Gate Bridge. Premier Jacinta Allan said the project will “transform” how motorists move around Melbourne and Victoria. Allan explained, “This is a project that’s much more than just two tunnels – as big and impressive as they are.” The project also widens the West Gate Freeway, adds extra capacity, and gives direct access to the Port of Melbourne. It improves travel around northern parts of the city. New additions include 14 km of walking and cycling links, notably a 2.5 km “veloway,” an enclosed cycle path connecting Footscray to Docklands. A 24-hour truck ban on local streets will start with the tunnel’s opening. It is expected to remove 9,000 trucks from inner west streets. Roads Minister Melissa Horne said the national heavy vehicle regulator will focus on educating truck drivers before fines begin. She added it will “take a little bit of time” for drivers to adjust to the new road layout and warned the launch “is not going to be without its challenges.” The project, a joint venture between the government and toll operator Transurban, started in early 2018. It was meant to finish by September 2022 but ran into trouble. The discovery of toxic soil led to a legal battle that caused delays and a $3.4 billion budget increase. Transurban invested $6.1 billion for construction and gains toll rights plus a 10-year CityLink contract extension. Toll charges are $4.09 for cars and $6.54 for utes or vans. During peak hours, if exiting certain roads, tolls rise to $6.54 and $10.47 respectively. This is added to existing CityLink tolls, so drivers to Melbourne Airport pay $10.63 in total. Premier Allan defended the tolls: “It’s only on the new parts of the infrastructure. There are many other ways to move around our city and state, so it is giving people choice – you can have the bridge, or the tunnel.” She also announced travel will be free on weekends in January after urging Transurban to match the government’s free public transport offer during summer. With Labor facing a dip in polls, the government is hoping the West Gate Tunnel and Metro Tunnel projects will boost support ahead of the 2026 state election.