Photo: heraldsun.com.au

Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan announced the opening of the new bridge – part of the Andrews Labor Government’s $1.3 billion CityLink Tulla Widening Project.

The bridge gives drivers a smoother and safer run to Pascoe Vale Road, by providing a dedicated local connection and removing a dangerous blind-side merge.

The existing bridge will be turned into an outbound entry ramp to the CityLink Tullamarine Freeway, with an extra lane being added over the coming months to reduce congestion on Bell Street.

Ramp signals will be installed on the upgraded entry ramp to improve traffic flow and make it safer to merge onto the freeway.

The new 275-metre bridge opened to pedestrians and cyclists last weekend, with a shared use path providing a safer connection to Pascoe Vale Road and the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail

Works at the Bell Street interchange will continue until late 2017.