The 12.5-kilometre section between Buangor and Ararat will include an upgrade to two lanes in each direction with additional turning lanes, a new bridge over the railway line, two new bridges over the Hopkins River and an an interchange at Hillside Road, with entry and exit ramps.

A tender will be announced by the end of 2016 when detailed design work begins, with construction to commence in 2017 and take around two years to complete.

VicRoads  project director Michael McCarthy said the route will help address safety issues on the stretch, which has had 72 crashes, including five fatalities and 32 serious injuries in a five-year span dating to last December.

“A duplicate highway will also improve journey reliability for more than 6500 thousand people who use it daily.”