Construction update

We’re starting works on the M80 Ring Road Completion, including a seamless connection to North East Link

The M80 Ring Road Completion will take 19,000 cars and trucks a day off Greensborough Road, with traffic passing under Grimshaw Street, Elder Street and Watsonia Road, keeping local roads for local trips. New interchanges at the M80 Ring Road and Grimshaw Street will ease congestion and slash travel times, with dedicated lanes for local trips and express lanes to North East Link. 10km of walking and cycling paths will help locals get to schools, public transport, shops and community spaces.

As we prepare to start major construction this year, crews are busy establishing work sites across the project area. The Frensham Reserve offset car park for Watsonia Station will open in early April, with over 500 parking spaces. This will allow us to close Watsonia Station car park in April and use the space to build the M80 Ring Road Completion.

Accessible parking spaces and the bus stop will remain within the existing Watsonia Station car park near the station entrance.

We’ll rebuild a new car park next to the station, ready for people to use when the project is complete in 2028. The local community will be able to see and give feedback on the design before construction on the new car park starts.

M80 Ring Road Completion will deliver

• 14km of new lanes on the M80 Ring Road
• 10km new and upgraded walking and cycling paths
• 8 new and upgraded bridges, underpasses and crossings
• 4000+ trees planted
• 19,000 cars and trucks off Greensborough Road a day

When we'll be working

• Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm
• Nightly excl. Saturday 7pm to 6am
• Saturdays 7am to 1pm 

We'll carry out most of our works during the day, although some extended hours and night works will be required, particularly when working near live traffic.

When working extended hours and doing night works we'll provide more information to nearby residents beforehand.

Upcoming works in Watsonia, Watsonia North and Greensborough

Establishing site compounds

We’re continuing work to set up site compounds at AK Lines Reserve and Gabonia Avenue Reserve in Watsonia. The compounds will contain site offices, workforce parking and material and equipment storage needed to support major construction.

Both reserves will be returned to the local community with improvements when the project is completed.

To ensure local clubs that use the reserves can continue to thrive during construction, we’ve built new multimillion dollar facilities at Binnak Park and Greensborough College nearby.

Setting up work sites for major construction

For the safety of road users and our workers, we’re building work areas with access points and haul roads for construction vehicles along the M80 Ring Road, Greensborough Bypass and Greensborough Highway. Crews will remove selected trees where necessary and clear topsoil to install traffic barriers and fencing. Setting up work sites allows us to start utility relocation works, install temporary noise walls and realign roads.

The centre median on Greensborough Highway, between Grimshaw Street and Watsonia Road, will soon be removed to realign Greensborough Highway to create space for major construction.

Reduced speeds and lane closures will be in place over several weekends from Friday 15 March, excluding Easter long weekend, from 7pm Fridays to 6am Mondays. Traffic management will be in place to help people move safely through the area.

For more information check bigbuild.vic.gov.au/disruptions

Preparing to extend the rail tunnel under Greensborough Highway

A longer rail tunnel will run under an upgraded Greensborough Road and new express lanes to North East Link.

We'll continue to work in and around the rail corridor this year as we prepare to extend the rail tunnel.

At times in April and May, buses will replace trains on sections of the Hurstbridge Line.

For further details and to plan your journey, please visit ptv.vic.gov.au or call 1800 800 007.

North East Community Fund grants awarded

The second round of North East Community Fund recipients have been announced. More than 45 projects will receive over $2 million worth of funding to support their local community.

Concord School, Watsonia Primary School and Watsonia North Primary School are three recipients of the latest round of funding.

Concord School will use their $65,000 grant to build a quiet nature play zone to help students to connect with the environment. Watsonia Primary School will get almost $55,000 to upgrade the school’s playground and apply acoustic treatments to the community hall. Watsonia North Primary School will use their $75,000 grant to build an indigenous garden and outdoor learning space.

We’ll release information later this year about more funding opportunities in 2024. For more information, please visit northeastlink.vic.gov.au/communityfund

New trees and plants

More than 1.3 million plants, including 4000 trees, will be planted for the M80 Ring Road Completion. For every tree removed, at least two will be planted.

We’ll plant indigenous trees and vegetation from local regions and use fast-growing native species to help shade walking and cycling paths, create new wetland areas and return local reserves.

We'll also launch the next round of the Backyard Tree Planting Program for residents and community groups later this year. This program is on top of work already underway to plant at least two trees for every one removed for construction.

Leading the way on sustainability

In an Australian first for the construction industry, we’ve successfully trialled 100 per cent recycled cardboard and plastic hoarding panels at our Gabonia Avenue Reserve site compound in Watsonia.

We're now installing this type of temporary hoarding in various locations across the project.

Compared with traditional plywood hoardings, recycled hoarding is expected to reduce carbon emissions by up to 70 per cent. For each square metre of hoarding used, seven kilograms of waste is diverted from landfill.

Recycled cardboard hoarding also provides better noise protection than traditional plywood hoarding. Once the project is complete, we’ll recycle the hoarding and seek opportunities to reuse panels on other projects.

Urban Design and Landscape Plan

Thanks for sharing your feedback on the Urban Design and Landscape Plan (UDLP) while it was on exhibition in October last year.

We’re working through your comments now and looking at where we can make changes to the project design to reflect what local people want to see in their area. We’ll be providing an update later this year ahead of major construction.