The biggest road project in Victoria’s history has reached a milestone with the opening of the first permanent section of the Bulleen Road interchange as part of North East Link.
The section includes new Bulleen Road lanes that will allow space to keep traffic moving while crews build the North East Link tunnel entrance and massive interchange that will connect the Eastern Freeway to the 6.5 kilometre tunnels.
To build the new 270-metre section of Bulleen Road, crews installed more than 100 of the largest ‘Super T’ beams ever built in Victoria, each up to 43 metres long, and weighing as much as 126 tonnes.
Work is ramping up to re-build the Eastern Freeway to include new express lanes, managed motorway technology and Melbourne’s first dedicated busway.
In coming months, crews will replace two key pedestrian bridges over the Eastern Freeway at Estelle Street and Heyington Avenue, to improve connections for walkers and bike riders who cross over the freeway, and provide connections to the Koonung Creek Trail.
To safely replace the existing bridges, sections of the Eastern Freeway will close at times overnight from late July to September.
There will also be a closure of the Eastern Freeway between Doncaster and Tram roads for a full weekend in September to safely lift a new bridge over the freeway without traffic below. Major delays of up to 90 minutes are expected, with motorists strongly encouraged to avoid the area.