Below is a summary of the information in this document. To read the full document, open the PDF file. If you require an accessible version of this document, please request one via our contact us form.

Summary of document

It’s about the people who live and work in Melbourne’s northeast and eastern suburbs and the people who will use North East Link, an upgraded Eastern Freeway and Melbourne’s first busway to get where they need to go. We have a lot of work ahead of us and want to keep everyone informed along the way.

North East Link comes to life

• Visitors to our drop in displays have been learning more about the project with a new interactive map, 3D videos and 180-degree virtual reality.
• The latest designs show how tunnels, green bridges, an Eastern Freeway overhaul, dedicated busway and walking and cycling links reduce congestion, take traffic off local streets and connect communities.
• We’ve been speaking with communities for more than a year – even ahead of the business case, a first for a major project like this. This means communities have helped shape the project from the get-go.

Thanks to your feedback we are:

• Working with Banyule Council, local stakeholders and residents to explore different design options for local traffic, walking and cycling connections at Watsonia Station and shops.
• Reducing visual impacts from the northern portal tunnel ventilation structures by moving them as far away from homes as possible and locating them on Simpson Barracks land.
• Significantly increasing green space along Greensborough Road and adding a new signalised crossing for walkers and bike riders connecting to Wattle Drive.
• Simplifying the Manningham Road interchange.
• Adding 2 new crossings on Bulleen Road to make getting to schools, sports fields, and community clubs safer and easier.
• Investigating a footpath on the western side of Bulleen Road so there are paths on both sides of the road.
• Upgrading the Belford Road walking and cycling path along the Eastern Freeway.
• Adding a shortcut to the Main Yarra Trail along the Eastern Freeway at Burke Road.
• Assessing future upgrades to Doncaster Park and Ride and Watsonia Station carpark.

Tough noise standards for North East Link

• We know that noise is a key priority, particularly along the Eastern Freeway, Greensborough Road and the M80 Ring Road.
• Community feedback has shaped our plans for a noise standard of 63 decibels – similar to the noise level of a busy general office.
• The noise standard will be applied to all residential areas along North East Link as well as the planned upgrades to the Eastern Freeway and M80 Ring Road.
• It will also cover open space where noise barriers are needed to protect residents or noise sensitive buildings such as schools.
• Community feedback is helping to shape ideas for what new noise walls could look like.

Fast facts

• A noise standard of 63 decibels will apply along the entire project alignment.
• Noise is being studied and modelled this year as we prepare the EES.
• More than 60 locations have been monitored.
• More information about noise walls will be on public display in 2019.

Busway by numbers

• Melbourne’s first dedicated busway will be built as part of North East Link.
• Doncaster Area Rapid Transit (DART) bus routes are the busiest in Melbourne which makes building a dedicated busway along the Eastern Freeway a crucial part of the project.
• Buses will travel in their own lanes, separated from traffic merging on and off the freeway and getting to and from the city will be faster and easier.
• A new Park and Ride will be built at Bulleen and Doncaster Park and Ride will get a major upgrade.

Fast facts

• 2 park and rides – Doncaster and Bulleen.
• Up to 30% faster travel times.
• Travel speeds of up to 100km/h.
• Smoother trips for the 16,000 people who already use DART services every day.

Connecting Melburnians by bike and foot

• North East Link will include more than 25km of new walking and cycling paths, connecting people to local shops, attractions, and jobs.
• North East Link will significantly expand the cycling network in the north-east, with new routes to Greensborough, Watsonia, Heidelberg and La Trobe University.
• We’ll keep working with walkers and riders to help shape the look and feel of North East Link’s cycling and pedestrian links.

North East Link Community Liaison Groups

• Community Liaison Groups (CLGs) are a way for people to be involved in the planning stage of North East Link and are a link between the North East Link Authority and the community.
• Two groups represent the northern and southern parts the project and participate in regular forums, which incorporate community feedback and help resolve issues.
• The groups have an independent chair and bring together residents, businesses, students, environmental groups, councils, VicRoads and North East Link Authority.

Urban design: shaping local communities

• Looking for opportunities to improve the look and feel of local areas, and how people move about, is an important part of our planning process.
• It addresses parks and cycle paths, shopping areas and waterways, pedestrian bridges and landscape buffers.
• The Urban Design Strategy for North East Link responds to 3 distinctive ‘character areas’ and will give the project builders ideas for their designs.