8 August 2025
As part of North East Link, we're upgrading the Eastern Freeway with new express lanes, new traffic management technology and Melbourne's first dedicated busway.
For the first half of 2025, we’ve been building foundations for upgraded bridges, moving traffic on the freeway to create new work areas and getting ready to install the first of 11 km of new noise walls. Here’s what we’ve been up to over the last few months.
New bridges for better connections
As we build new express lanes on the Eastern Freeway, the road and pedestrian bridges that cross the freeway at Estelle Street, Doncaster Road and Heyington Avenue are all being upgraded. We've been building supporting framework either side of the freeway for several months, avoiding the need to impact freeway users. However, we'll need to work from the freeway itself for short periods as we install the remaining bridge elements. See over the page for more details and upcoming disruptions.
Bulleen booming
In mid-July, we moved traffic onto the final alignment of Bulleen Road. Now that traffic is using the new road, we'll remove the temporary diversion road built in early 2024.
You’ll start to see an increase of activity, including additional bridge foundation works involving multiple piling rigs, concrete structures and significant earthworks for the remainder of the year.
Other works underway are the foundations for the new Ringwood-bound exit ramp - part of this will travel under the new Bulleen Road and into the North East Link tunnel. We’ve also started excavation for the new express busway. Once complete, it will run beneath the new Bulleen Road interchange, providing a direct link to the Bulleen Park and Ride.
Building your freeway bridges
Through to the end of 2025, we'll be working to build three new bridges over the freeway. We'll need to close sections of the freeway at times and drivers are advised to plan their journey.
Doncaster Road bridge
We’ve now moved traffic onto the temporary citybound entry ramp, and the temporary Ringwood-bound exit ramp, giving us the space we need to build the city side of the new Doncaster Road bridge. The new bridge over the freeway will be wider and four metres higher than the existing, to make space for the new busway.
We’ve been working hard on the centre pier foundations and the north and south supporting frames. Throughout August and September, crews will install 22 super-T beams and five steel frames known as 'girders' to form the new bridge.
To safely lift these pieces into place, there will be a series of overnight freeway disruptions.
Estelle Street bridge
We’ve been busy building the foundations of the new Estelle Street bridge, which crosses the freeway between Bulleen Road and Doncaster Road.
The new architecturally designed Estelle Street bridge is being built on the Ringwood side of the existing bridge, meaning we can keep the old Estelle Street bridge open during construction.
In the coming months, sections of the new bridge will be lifted into place during overnight lane and carriageway closures on the Eastern Freeway.
Disruption information
August 2025
Overnight lane closures
Overnight freeway closures
Ringwood-bound or citybound
Overnight full freeway closures.
Additional travel time
Up to 30 minutes during overnight freeway closures.
Detours
Via Doncaster Road and Bulleen Road.
Heyington Avenue bridge
Between Doncaster and Elgar roads, the Heyington Avenue bridge is a crucial connection across the freeway, linking local schools, walking and cycling paths and recreational spaces.
The new bridge will be straightened and widened, with improved pavements and landscaping to create a better experience for cyclists and pedestrians.
Due to space constraints on the northern side of the freeway, the new bridge will be place at the same location, therefore we need to dismantle the existing bridge before we can install the new bridge.
We’ll close the freeway for a weekend in early September to dismantle the existing bridge before we carefully lift in the new bridge sections - all in one weekend!
Detours will be in place for motorists over the weekend, and we expect significant delays. More information will be available to the community soon. Finishing works will continue on the bridge with it expected to open to the public in late 2025.
Disruption information
5 to 8 September 2025
Full weekend closure of the freeway between Doncaster Road and Tram Road.
Additional travel time
Up to 90 mins
Detours
Via Doncaster Road and Wetherby Road (Ringwood-bound) and via Tram Road and Doncaster Road (citybound).
First noise walls being built
The first stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Burke to Tram roads will deliver more than 11 kilometres of new and improved noise walls.
Works to build the very first noise wall have started in our Koonung Creek Reserve worksite, with the majority of the piling for the foundations complete. This noise wall will be a post and panel wall made of weathered steel and acrylic panels.
We’re also preparing for noise wall construction in our worksites near Musca Street Reserve and east of Elgar Road on the southern side of the freeway.
We’re able to build these noise walls now as we have more space to work in and we’re not restricted by other construction activities in these locations. It's not possible to build noise walls yet in other locations as major activities such as utility relocations, retaining wall construction and road infrastructure must be completed first.
For more information on noise walls, visit us at the Project Information Centre (details below) or download our noise wall fact sheet from bigbuild.vic.gov.au.
Nesting easy
From possums to microbats, we’ve provided 25 new nesting boxes in Koonung Creek Reserve and Columba Reserve for furry and feathered residents.
The boxes come in a variety of sizes and shapes to suit different species around the area. Two microbat boxes are among those we've installed, which could house as many as 400 microbats!
We're here to help
Our community engagement team will be out and about talking to people about works in their area and how we can support you during construction. You can also contact 1800 105 105 to speak to us or to make a time to meet with us.
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Come and visit us
Information centre opening hours
9am – 3pm Tues, Wed, Thurs
284 Doncaster Road, Balwyn North