We’re upgrading the Eastern Freeway to slash travel times and improve public transport in Melbourne’s east.

We’re also delivering a tough new noise standard. We’ll be building new and upgraded noise walls to meet a stringent daytime noise standard of 63 decibels. This is in line with the highest level of traffic noise protection in Victoria.

In response to community feedback, we’re also introducing a quieter 58 decibel standard for night-time noise, making the Eastern Freeway noise standard the toughest in the state.

The new noise standard will also give many residents in Melbourne’s east noise protection for the first time – with noise walls to be built in new areas. These include at Musca Street Reserve and Koonung Creek Reserve in Balwyn North and Valda Wetlands and Elgar Park in Mont Albert North.

Day

63 decibel protection during the day

Night

58 decibel protection at night

Managing noise

To achieve the new noise standard for the Eastern Freeway, we’ll be:

• replacing or upgrading existing noise walls
• building new noise walls along the Eastern Freeway as well as entry and exit ramps
• using noise reducing asphalt on the freeway
• monitoring traffic noise once the project opens and reporting the results on a publicly accessible website.

Where possible, we’ll work to keep the existing concrete noise walls to minimise construction impacts and avoid removing trees.

High quality noise walls

The first stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Burke Road to Tram Road will deliver more than 11km of new and improved noise walls.

Noise walls have been designed with residents in mind to protect privacy, reduce traffic noise and allow for natural light.

Colours are drawn from the local environment using a natural palette of earthy soil and rock. Materials include a mix of textured concrete, weathering steel, recycled plastic and semitransparent acrylic where natural light is needed.

Where possible, we’ll be installing new noise walls before removing existing noise walls.

Monitoring to ensure compliance

Traffic noise will be monitored once the Eastern Freeway Upgrades are complete. If measured noise is higher than the required level, we will take action to reduce noise at the affected properties.

In response to community feedback, we’ve extended the amount of time noise will be monitored from 10 years after the project opens to 20 years after the project opens.

How noise is measured

Noise is measured on a scale of units called decibels or dB for short. Noise measurements are usually adjusted to reflect how noise is perceived by the human ear. This adjustment is called ‘A’ weighted decibels or dBA.

63dBA is around the same sound level of a general conversation or a household air conditioner (65dBA).

Decibel noise scale

Download the fact sheet to view the decibel noise scale graph.

Download the fact sheet

Air quality

The Eastern Freeway Upgrades will connect with the new North East Link Tunnels in Bulleen – taking traffic off local roads and shifting it onto the freeway network.

Specialist air quality studies found this change in how traffic moves about will not have any measurable effect on community health. Air quality will also improve along many major roads with reduced traffic volumes.

Find out more on our Environment Effects Statement page.

Please contact us if you would like this information in an accessible format. If you need assistance due to a hearing or speech impairment, contact Relay Service.