1 September 2025

We’re improving how traffic moves between Tram Road and Middleborough Road.

Dedicated lanes for local trips, through trips and express trips will separate traffic to ease congestion and slash travel times.

Travel speeds that can be as slow as 45km/h in the peak now will increase to more than 85km/h, and up to 100km/h in the off peak.

Express lanes will cut up to 11 minutes along the upgraded Eastern Freeway, and new ramps will make it quicker and easier to merge on and off.

Dedicated lanes for short trips mean drivers who only use the freeway to travel between Tram Road and Middleborough Road, won’t need to merge into the main freeway lanes.

These changes will all work together to keep traffic moving.

We’ll also build a new walking and cycling bridge to Eram Park, with better connections to open space and Koonung Creek Trail, and upgrade the bus stop on Middleborough Road.

Improved design for a better driving experience and more green space in Eram Park

In response to community feedback received through the project’s Environment Effects Statement (EES), we’ve improved the design from Tram Road to Middleborough Road with:

  • a lane layout that is easier to use
  • a better ramp design to return more space for trees and plants at Eram Park than the EES design.

Express lanes trip explainer

Dedicated lanes in the middle of the freeway will separate long trips from shorter trips to cut travel times and ease congestion.

Travelling to the inner city?

Enter the express lanes before Doncaster Road. Exit after Bulleen Road.

Travelling from the inner city?

Enter the express lanes before Bulleen Road. Exit after Tram Road.

Tram Road to Middleborough Road trip explainer

Separate lanes for different trips will keep traffic moving. The new entry and exit ramps also mean traffic merging onto the freeway won’t mix with traffic merging off – one of the main causes of congestion here today.

Short trip between Tram and Middleborough roads?

Use the short trip lanes to move between the entry and exit ramps, and don’t merge onto the freeway.

Express lane trip?

Exit at Wetherby Road, or merge with the main freeway lanes and continue heading east.

Different trip?

Use the regular freeway lanes. These will work the same as they do today with upgrades from Springvale Road to Hoddle Street for a smoother trip, and a connection to North East Link at Bulleen Road.

contact@bigbuild.vic.gov.au

1800 105 105 (call anytime). For languages other than English please call 9209 0147.

If you need assistance due to a hearing or speech impairment, please visit relayservice.gov.au

Download

Eastern Freeway Upgrades-Tram to Springvale-Trip explainer (PDF 866.1 KB)