Motorists are being urged to avoid the West Gate Freeway, with 10 days of maintenance currently underway.

Only one out-bound lane is currently open.

Head of transport services at the Department of Transport, Alan Fedda, said queues on the West Gate Freeway were back to the Montague Street exit at about 10.30am, and the situation is only expected to get worse.

Press PLAY below to hear the advice to people heading from Melbourne to Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula

“I reckon by lunchtime it’ll probably get to at least 90 minutes,” he told Shane McInnes, filling in for Neil Mitchell.

“If you’re travelling to the Bellarine Peninsula or the Surf Coast the best thing to do is to detour north of the city and use Alexandra Parade, Racecourse Road and Geelong Road to connect to the freeway.”