Work to overhaul the Eastern Freeway between Burke Road to Tram Road is underway.

We're upgrading the Eastern Freeway with new express lanes, new traffic management technology, Melbourne's first express busway and a seamless connection to the North East Link.

We’ve been working day and night on the freeway and surrounding roads to set up worksites in the centre median, at the Freeway Golf Course, the former Boroondara Tennis Centre, Koonung Creek Reserve and in the reserve near Leonis Avenue.

We’re now preparing for major construction between Bulleen and Doncaster roads by setting up work sites on both sides of the freeway.

We'll work within the Koonung Creek Reserve and the Koonung Creek Linear Park in Balwyn North and Doncaster, to create space to widen the freeway including building the new express lanes and the Eastern Busway.

To do this, we'll divert the Koonung Creek Trail and install fencing around our work areas so we can safely remove trees and vegetation, freeway lighting and noise walls. We'll also relocate utility services, excavate and place large amounts of soil and build retaining walls to create the foundations of the new freeway lanes.

We’ll build a new shared use bridge near Estelle Street to improve walking and cycling connections to Koonung Creek Reserve. We'll provide more information about this in future updates.

To stay up to date on the Eastern Freeway Upgrades, sign up to our e-newsletter at bigbuild.vic.gov.au/roads-subscribe

• 11 minute faster trips along the Eastern Freeway
• 6 new express lanes
• 18 traffic lights skipped to the airport
• New busway with park and rides at Bulleen and Doncaster
• 10km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths

Upcoming works between Bulleen and Doncaster Roads

1. Night works on the Eastern Freeway

We’ll continue rolling out safety barriers along the freeway between Bulleen and Tram roads to set up work areas to support major upgrades. There’ll be nightly lane closures and intermittent ramp closures throughout our works.

2. Koonung Creek Trail diversion

In June 2024 we’ll divert the Koonung Creek Trail in the Koonung Creek Linear Park between Kampman Street and the Estelle Street bridge. Cyclists are encouraged to use the Koonung Creek Trail on the southern side of the Eastern Freeway in Koonung Creek Reserve.

There will be no local access to the trail between the Estelle Street Bridge and High Street. This diversion will be in place until late 2025. In the coming months, there will be further changes to the Koonung Creek Trail east of Doncaster Road on both sides of the freeway.

3. Setting up work areas

We’ll install 2.4m high noise reduction timber fencing around our work areas so we can remove existing noise walls and continue to remove some trees within the Koonung Creek Linear Park.

This will allow us to begin works in the coming months to relocate a sewer main from under the freeway into the park between Estelle Street and Park Avenue and east of Doncaster Road near Hender and Stanton streets.

4. Changes to High Street exit

In mid 2024, we’ll place barriers on the Doncaster Road outbound exit ramp to create a work area so we can relocate utilities and build a temporary freeway exit ramp. To do this, we’ll close the dedicated High Street exit lane on the freeway ramp. Access to High Street will be maintained from Doncaster Road.

5. Koonung Creek Reserve

Work to divert the Koonung Creek Trail and install fencing around our work sites in Koonung Creek Reserve is now underway between Mountain View Road and Doncaster Road.

Changes to Bulleen and Thompsons roads

1. Realigning Bulleen Road

We’ve started building a temporary Bulleen Road diversion to create space needed to realign Bulleen Road and build the new connection to the North East Link tunnels.

As part of these works, we'll need to close a small section of Bulleen Road from Friday 24 to Monday 27 May.

When we reopen the road, we'll move traffic onto the temporary alignment (see figure 1 in the map below) which will remain in place until late 2025.

2. Bulleen Road bridge widening

From late May 2024, we'll start works to widen the Bulleen Road bridge from seven to ten lanes.

We'll also realign the Bulleen Road entry and exit ramps for the Eastern Freeway as part of an upgraded Bulleen interchange and new walking and cycling underpasses.

To do this, we'll close lanes overnight on Bulleen Road and the Eastern Freeway. We'll also close the footpath on the east side of the bridge, so we can safely remove traffic islands, lay new asphalt, reconfigure lanes and place traffic barriers.

We'll then start piling works to build the foundations of the new Bulleen Road bridge within the freeway centre median to add more lanes.

Changes to Manningham Road

Construction of the future Manningham Interchange for North East Link is underway, with traffic changes in place further north along Bulleen Road, Manningham Road and Bridge Street. One-way traffic on Manningham Road and Bridge Street will be in place for around 2 years. This will help create the space needed to build the tunnel entry and exit ramps.

Further south, we’re working on the foundations of the Yarra Link green bridge on either side of Bulleen Road.

Minimising tree removal

To support Eastern Freeway Upgrades, we need to remove a significant number of trees and vegetation within the Koonung Creek Reserve.

We've identified reuse opportunities for all removed trees, including reuse on the project and donation to community groups for sustainable projects, such as the Melbourne Zoo.

More than 10,000 new trees will be planted within the reserve as part of the revegetation plan.

We’ve also completed extensive field surveys to help identify fauna that need to be rehomed.

Changes to Valda Wetlands

From late May we'll begin installing fencing around the wetlands near Valda Avenue, Mont Albert North, before we clear trees and vegetation to set up a major worksite.

Upon completion, this area will feature a new Heyington Avenue bridge and a reconfigured 43,700m3 wetland precinct including an improved Koonung Creek to better manage waterflow and aquatic health.

Koonung Creek Reserve fencing design

To reduce visual impacts, we're placing a photographic design on the timber fencing along the resident facing boundaries of the worksites in Koonung Creek Reserve. This will help blend the fencing in with the natural environment.

Recently, local residents were invited to vote on their preferred design. There were three options of native gums to choose from with Option A, pictured above, receiving the most votes.

We'll start installing this design in the coming months.

When we'll be working

Monday to Friday during the day from 7am to 6pm and at night from 7pm to 6am

Saturdays from 7am to 3pm

Out and about

In March, the Community Engagement team visited cafes in Balwyn North offering locals a coffee and an opportunity to chat about the project. We spoke to over 200 people about how we'll manage construction impacts and upcoming works.

In May and June, there will be more opportunities for locals to meet with us.

Join our community events

Find out more information about our next community events in your area, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au/community/community-events

Keeping you up to date

There are many ways you can keep in touch and learn more about works in your area.

Speak to our team:

Our community engagement team will be speaking to local residents about these works and how we can support you during construction.

Contact us:

You can also contact us on 1800 105 105 to speak to a member of the project team or to make an appointment to see us.

Sign up for updates:

If you would like to receive SMS or email updates visit: bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/roads/email-and-sms-updates