Montrose Intersection Upgrade

Image description: an aerial photo of the intersection taken in mid-December.

Project timeline

• Complete works along north side of Mount Dandenong Road-Leith Road and most works on west side of Mount Dandenong Tourist Road.
  • Completed mid-October 2024.
• Temporary roundabout removed, interim traffic lights activated (some movements restricted until the permanent lights are activated) and works undertaken on south side of Mount Dandenong Road.
  • Completed late November 2024.
• Works on the south side of Leith Road and east side of Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, including within the intersection, to build new road pavement and install drainage. Traffic shifted to the western side of Mount Dandenong Tourist Road closer to the Montrose shops.
  • Late November 2024 – early 2025.
• Final miscellaneous works, final road surface seal and line marking applied across whole project area. Permanent traffic lights activated and in use during this period of works.
  • Early 2025.
• Project completion
  • Early 2025.

Project update - December 2024

Community update flyer

In early December we distributed a project update flyer to Montrose and surrounding suburbs. You can download the full publication as a pdf document . Please remember to support Montrose traders this Christmas.

Key project milestones

We expect the intersection to be fully open in February 2025 with all movements through the intersection permitted and controlled by the permanent traffic lights.

From this point, there will continue to be some lane closures, and both day and night works with traffic management in place for approximately a month to complete the project. This includes the final road sealing, line marking, planting and final landscaping.

Holiday break

There will be no works from Saturday 21 December to Sunday 5 January 2025 during the summer holiday season. Traffic management and reduced speed limits will remain in place for safety of the community. Work will recommence on Monday 6 January 2025.

Emergency readiness

We prioritise keeping the community, road users and workers safe during bushfire season. Our approach and planning includes:

• On higher risk fire days, our contractor will assess the conditions (such as the combination of heat and wind) and make decisions about work activities accordingly.
• Some work activities require permits to be undertaken on Total Fire Ban days. Our contractor will apply for these permits through the CFA if such work is necessary.
• The Department of Transport and Planning has hosted emergency response workshops that have included our emergency management and signal operations team, along with Victoria Police, to determine procedures for emergency situations, including remote adjustment of the intersection traffic signals to prioritise evacuation traffic.

January night works

We’re installing new drainage infrastructure on Mount Dandenong Tourist Road. Some of this work needs to be done at night to minimise disruption to the road network.

We will close Mount Dandenong Tourist Road in both directions between ‘little’ Swansea Road and the Montrose intersection for the nights of Sunday 12 and Monday 13 January 2025. Works will take place between 8pm and 5am.

These works require specific weather conditions and may need to be rescheduled at short notice.

• Detours for both directions of traffic on Mount Dandenong Tourist Road will be via ‘little’ Swansea Road.
• Access will be maintained for PTV bus services, residents of Devenish Avenue, and the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road shops, under traffic management guidance.
• There will be moderate noise, vibration, light and dust while we work. 
• For the safety of road users and workers, reversing beepers are a requirement on all machinery. We’ll monitor the noise impacts to minimise them as much as possible. 
• Please follow traffic controllers’ instructions for both your safety and the safety of our workers.   

Download a larger version of the detour map

Ongoing works

Activities in the current stage of works include:

• Building new road pavement on the eastern side of Mount Dandenong Tourist Road and on the south side of Leith Road between the Toy Library entrance and the left turn lane into Mount Dandenong Tourist Road.
• Digging trenches and installing new drainage.
• Relocation of water main on Leith Road.
• Construction of a new access ramp, stairs and bus stop near the Montrose War Memorial.
• Signal works for the new pedestrian crossing that will be installed on Mount Dandenong Tourist Road.
• Street lighting works, including boring, conduit and cable installation along sections of Mount Dandenong Road between Stradbroke Road and Ascalon Road.
• Footpath, kerb and driveway works.
• Landscaping and bluestone paving works.

When to expect us

Crews will generally work between 7am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, and occasionally on weekends between 7am and 1pm. Dates and times are subject to change depending on weather conditions and contractor availability.

There will be periods when we need to work at night to minimise disruption to the road network. Generally, night works will be undertaken between 6pm and 6am, Sundays to Thursdays, when traffic volumes are at their lowest. We’ll keep impacted businesses and residents informed as night works are required. 

What to expect

• A temporary pedestrian crossing on Mount Dandenong Tourist Road while we build the permanent crossing.
• Stradbroke Road remains left out turn only onto Mount Dandenong Road. A right turn into Stradbroke Road is now permitted.
• Access to Montrose Pharmacy and the Spinal Centre is only available via the Leith Road driveway during this stage of works. The fencing in the carpark has been removed while access to the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road driveway is restricted.
• Access to SIA Medical, NIDO Early Learning and the Toy Library from Leith Road remains as per current arrangements.
• Access to Montrose Library and the Town Centre from the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road driveway will change as works progress. The driveway to these amenities on ‘Little’ Swansea Road will remain open at all times.

To keep the community and our workers safe you may notice:

• Lane closures on Mount Dandenong Road, Leith Road, Montrose Road and Mount Dandenong Tourist Road. 
• The speed limit will continue to be 40km/h to keep road users and workers safe.
• Traffic controllers and electronic message signs to guide you safely through the area.
• Periods of medium to high noise, dust and vibration from construction vehicles and light towers onsite. For the safety of road users and workers, reversing beepers are a requirement on all machinery. We’ll monitor the impacts to minimise them as much as possible.
• Signage to help pedestrians safely navigate the works. Access to the Montrose township, public transport, shops and amenities will be maintained.
• Driveway access will be maintained for properties unless otherwise agreed with individual property owners/occupiers. If footpath, kerb or driveway works would otherwise make access unsafe, traffic controllers will guide drivers in and out of properties.
• Traffic management devices will remain in place throughout the project for the safety of the community.

Traffic management

• Both directions of traffic on Mt Dandenong Tourist Road has been shifted to the western lanes between Devenish Avenue and the Montrose intersection. Shops and parking remain accessible.
• The left-turn slip lane from Mount Dandenong Tourist Road onto Mount Dandenong Road has been opened.
• All traffic on Leith Road continues to travel on the northern lanes between Montrose Road and Trevallyn Close.
• Westbound traffic travelling from Leith Road to Mount Dandenong Road now follows an ‘s-shape’ movement through the intersection on to the south side of the road.
• Traffic on Mount Dandenong Road now travels on separated, single lanes in each direction. Citybound traffic travels on the south side and traffic travelling towards Lilydale is on the north side.

Download a larger version of the map

• The current movement restrictions at the interim traffic lights will remain in place:
• No U-turns at the intersection.
• No right turn from Leith Road into Montrose Road.
• Left turn only from Montrose Road into Leith Road. No right turn or through movement from Montrose Road.

Download a larger version of the traffic flow map

When the project is completed, all movements (including U-turns) will be permitted with traffic controlled by the permanent traffic lights.

Please plan ahead and allow extra travel time.

Detour routes while interim traffic lights are operating

Detours are in place for restricted movements. Please follow the signed detours to access your destination safely:

• While the restrictions are in place, access to Mount Dandenong Tourist Road is available via Cambridge Road, Swansea Road and Leith Road to turn left into Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, or right turn from Mt Dandenong Road.
• There are no changes to how Swansea Road (known locally as ‘Little’ Swansea Road) and Walker Road operate. 
• All motorists should be mindful of the changed traffic arrangements and allow additional time when travelling through the area.

Interim traffic lights are required to complete the remaining works safely and efficiently. However, interim lights cannot incorporate all movements at the intersection, so we used traffic modelling to determine the highest priority movements for the best traffic flow while we complete our work.

After the lights were activated we conducted a road safety audit and made any necessary adjustments immediately.

We have been monitoring traffic movements and local network impacts and adjusting traffic management, where feasible, to improve traffic flow. We will continue to monitor and adjust as required. 

School impacts

We are working closely with the school and the school community to ensure any changes to traffic management are understood and to support the school to share information with their community.

Public transport

The new, permanent bus stop in the Leith Road service road for route 679 is now open and in use. 

The upgraded bus stop 8937 for route 688 towards Croydon (corner of Mount Dandenong Road and Mount Dandenong Tourist Road) is also open and in use.

The following disruptions to bus services are in place:

• Bus stop 9826 at the Montrose War Memorial towards Ferntree Gully is closed. Please use the temporary stop located on the southern corner of ‘Little’ Swansea Rd/Mt Dandenong Tourist Road intersection.
• Bus stop 22054 (Swansea Road/ Leith Road) towards Ringwood is closed. Please use the temporary stop outside 18 Leith Road (Telstra substation).
• Bus stop 22056 (Mount Dandenong Tourist Road/ Leith Road) towards Ringwood is closed. Please use the temporary stop outside 18 Leith Road (Telstra substation).

Changes to school bus services have been communicated directly to affected schools. For more information on PTV services, please visit the PTV website.

Support local businesses

While we complete this important intersection upgrade in Montrose your local traders remain open and they’re keen to welcome you. Pedestrian access and customer parking remain open and accessible to shops along Mount Dandenong Tourist Road and Leith Road. 

Please shop local during these works and support local traders. 

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we deliver these important safety upgrades.

Montrose Intersection Upgrade - Traders Guide

Download the Trader Directory

What we've done so far

Image description: an aerial photo of the intersection taken in mid-December 2024.