The Victorian Government hopes to have a new design finalised within four weeks on an $850 million upgrade to Melbourne’s Tullamarine Freeway.

The scope of the project is currently being reviewed by VicRoads and builder Transurban because design changes were needed after the East West Link project was scrapped.

Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said the Tullamarine upgrade would add 33 kilometres of lanes along the freeway.

“This is a major construction project so the Government is very carefully reviewing this to ensure we get a best value for taxpayers, understanding that people need congestion relief … near the airport,” he said.

The minister said the project should cut travel times to the airport by 20 minutes.

“It’s from the Burnley Tunnel right through to the Tullamarine Airport to put it simply,” he said.

“It’s from one end literally to the other including the West Gate Freeway. It is a substantial project.”

Mr Donnellan said tolls were also being reviewed.

“The design is being reviewed but then obviously also tolls and how they apply is being reviewed because of the change in the total scope of the project since [the] East West [Link] isn’t proceeding,” he said.

Work on the projected is expected to start later this year.