North East Link has been awarded a Leading As Built IS Rating score of 82.8 out of a possible 100 by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) for the delivery of the Early Works package.
Early works for North East Link were completed in 2022. The Early Works program involved relocating power, water, gas, sewer and telecommunication services, as well as preparing future work sites and building new infrastructure to support the next stage of construction.
ISC Ratings are calculated by assessing sustainability elements including environmental management, stakeholder participation, climate change resilience, community health and wellbeing.
Sustainability highlights on the North East Link early works package include:
- 92% (by volume) of inert and non-hazardous construction waste diverted from landfill during construction
- 100% reuse of uncontaminated spoil that would have otherwise been sent to landfill.
- 19% of water reuse over the life time of the asset, through water tanks used for irrigation and toilet flushing.
- 32% reduction of the project’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy used to deliver the Early Works package.
“We’re really proud of the result our Early Works team delivered, which was borne out of a consistent focus for us to innovate and share learnings to enable more sustainable outcomes,” said Deputy Director Chanz Crowley said.
“Whether it’s the North East Link, Eastern Freeway Upgrades or M80 Ring Road Completion, our teams are committed to improving transport infrastructure and doing so through the lens of delivering lasting environmental benefits at every stage of construction,”
Between early 2020 and mid 2022, specialist crews moved almost 100 above and underground services to make way for North East Link. Sustainable practices embedded during construction on the now completed Ford Park in Bellfield and Binnak Park in Watsonia North and the new Bulleen Park & Ride helped contribute to the high AS Built IS Rating score of almost 83.
3 mini tunnel boring machines (TBMs) moved 1.8km of the Yarra East Main Sewer to the east of Bulleen Road, beneath homes, schools and sports clubs in Bulleen.
We relocated utilities along the Eastern Freeway in Kew East, Balwyn North, Bulleen and Doncaster as well as utilities including important water supply infrastructure around Borlase Reserve in Yallambie.
Crews laid gas pipes and power lines on Greensborough Road at night and restored the road for traffic each morning in Macleod. We moved a mobile phone tower and 2 high-voltage towers, by carefully stringing live power lines over Greensborough Highway in Watsonia.
Workers also replaced buildings and services, including transplanting 2 Lone Pines to a new ANZAC Day Service Area, on land provided by the Australian Government in Yallambie.
North East Link will connect the M80 Ring Road to an upgraded Eastern Freeway, providing an efficient connection for up to 135,000 vehicles each day, slashing travel times by up to 35 minutes, taking 15,000 trucks off local roads, and skipping 18 traffic lights on a trip to the airport.
The North East Link tunnels, Eastern Freeway Upgrade and M80 Ring Road Update are expected to open in 2028 and are jointly funded by the Federal and Victorian governments.