After three years of dedicated work, McElligotts is proud to announce the completion of the West Gate Bridge repainting and remediation project. This major undertaking involved abrasive blasting, lead paint removal, and the application of durable Dulux Protective Coatings to preserve one of Melbourne’s most iconic structures for decades to come.
Project Overview: West Gate Bridge Repainting
The West Gate Bridge is an essential part of Melbourne’s infrastructure, linking the CBD to the western suburbs. As the fifth-longest bridge in Australia, the bridge carries approximately 250,000 vehicles per day. However, it had not undergone a full repaint since its opening in 1978.
This project began in 2019 when McElligotts was contracted by CPB Contractors on behalf of VicRoads/Department of Transport. Our task was to repaint 60,000 square metres of steel across the bridge’s 800-metre-long steel deck.
The Project Scope and Timeline: 2019–2021
The scope of the project was vast. The West Gate Bridge repainting involved several critical steps:
- Abrasive blasting the steel deck to remove old coatings and return the surface to raw steel.
- Lead paint removal and containment for safety and environmental compliance.
- Erecting profiles for carbon fibre and steel strengthening.
- Repainting the entire underside of the bridge using high-quality Dulux Protective Coatings.
Over three years, our team used 55,000 litres of paint to complete this monumental task.
Key Project Details and Achievements
- Project Length: 800 metres of steel deck
- Total Paint Used: Approximately 55,000 litres
- Team Size: 30 McElligotts team members
- Work at Height: Platforms up to 55 metres above the Yarra River
- Total Project Cost: $65 million
The Process:
Our team began with abrasive blasting the underside of the bridge’s steel deck until it was returned to raw steel. Using access platforms to reach different sections of the bridge, our team worked through strong winds at great heights to then repaint the bridge, section by section. At its peak, our team was working 55 metres above the Yarra River.
The specified coating system required the application of 4 coats of Dulux paint with stripe coating between coats. This is an additional coat of paint over and above the traditional three coat system normally specified in accordance with the Australian standards. Stripe coating is an essential method of detailed application of each coat to the 120,000 bolts of the bridge structure. This process is critical to the long-term durability of the protective coating system.
We are incredibly proud of the work our team has achieved on this massive project. Thanks to their hard work and commitment to doing the best job possible, this Melbourne landmark is now ready to face the next 40 years.
Project Update: 2021
The West Gate Bridge, one of the longest bridges in Australia, spans an impressive 2.5km. Our task was to repaint the 848m central section, covering approximately 80,000 square metres of steel. We used about 55,000 litres of paint to complete this massive project, which had a total cost of $65 million.
Our team worked at heights of around 50 metres above the Yarra River, requiring careful coordination and the ability to handle challenging weather conditions. A dedicated team of 30 McElligotts team members worked through these obstacles to successfully complete this significant project.
Project Update: 2019
Back in 2019, McElligotts had the pleasure of working on the iconic Westgate Bridge connecting Melbourne’s CBD to the western suburbs. During this original project, our team was responsible for removing and containing lead paint, installing carbon fibre and steel profiles for reinforcement, and abrasive blasting the bridge’s structure. Since then, our team has been hard at work abrasive blasting and repainting the entirety of the 55,000 sqm underbelly of the bridge.
The project was for CPB Contractors, on behalf of VicRoads/Department of Transport. Since the bridge hasn’t seen a full repaint since it opened in 1978, McElligotts wasn’t going to cut any corners for completing this project on one of Melbourne’s great industrial landmarks. That’s why we chose Dulux Protective Coatings as our choice of product supplier for the job.
Our team began with abrasive blasting the underside of the bridge’s steel deck until it was returned to raw steel. Using access platforms to reach different sections of the bridge, our team worked through strong winds at great heights to then repaint the bridge, piece by piece.
For the repainting process, we used a four-part coating system, plus stripe coating. This means that we used four different coats of paint while applying extra coats to any bolts, edges, wedges, or nuts that were present. The four paints used in order were Zincanode 402, Durebild STE, Durebild STE MIO, and Weathermax HBR MIO. This method ensures a long-lasting and durable finish for the bridge’s protective coating.
At McElligotts, we are incredibly proud of the work our team has achieved on this massive project. Thanks to their hard work and commitment to doing the best job possible, the West Gate Bridge is now ready to withstand the next few decades of Melbourne’s busy traffic.
