The biggest freeway overhaul in Victoria’s history is ramping up this spring, with the Eastern Freeway set to close for a full weekend for the first time in decades. It’s part of a massive amount of work across the Big Build, which includes putting the finishing touches on the Metro Tunnel and West Gate Tunnel.
Read more below about the major planned disruptions coming up this winter in inner, west, north, east and south east Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Inner Melbourne
Work to renew and maintain infrastructure near Victoria and Elizabeth streets in the CBD will affect trams on parts of Routes 19, 57 and 59 for 3 weeks in October. To complete the work, the intersection of Victoria and Elizabeth streets will be closed, with other closures in the area. Detours will be in place for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
Melbourne's west
As the West Gate Tunnel nears completion, there are changes to travel for asphalting, drainage and kerbing.
Three outbound lanes on the West Gate Freeway are in use between Williamstown Road and Millers Road until Friday 29 August. Then there will be a full outbound freeway closure, with all outbound lanes and ramps between Williamstown and Millers roads closed from the night of Friday 29 August to 5am Monday 1 September. Drivers are advised to seek an alternative route and plan ahead for major 90-minute delays.
There will be some more disruptions in the coming months as crews finalise tunnel entry and exit construction and test the freeway’s new intelligent transport systems.
With 87 level crossings already gone for good, there will be changes to train travel for works to remove level crossings in Melton, Newport and Altona. Buses will replace trains on sections of the Werribee Line at times while these works are happening.
Buses also replace trains on sections of the Sunbury Line from Monday 8 to Thursday 11 September, and on parts of the Sunbury, Werribee and Williamstown lines for 4 days in late September.
Melbourne's north
With North East Link tunnelling progressing, huge work is happening in spring to build connections to the tunnels.
The M80 Ring Road and Greensborough Bypass will close between Plenty Road and Grimshaw Street, as well as Greensborough Bypass and Diamond Creek Road from 7.30pm Friday 19 September to 5.30am Monday 22 September, to move the existing M80 Ring Road interchange and make space to build the new interchange that will connect to the 6.5km tunnels.
In Greensborough, a road and rail blitz for all of October will close part of Grimshaw Street and buses will replace trains on the Hurstbridge Line at times to make space to build the express lanes to the North East Link tunnels.
Melbourne's east
The Eastern Freeway will be completely upgraded, including new express lanes, managed motorway technology and Melbourne’s first dedicated busway. In the coming months, crews will replace 2 key pedestrian bridges over the Eastern Freeway at Balwyn North and Doncaster.
To safely lift the new Heyington Avenue bridge over the freeway, the Eastern Freeway will close between Doncaster and Tram roads from 10pm Friday 5 September to 5am Monday 8 September. Major delays of up to 90 minutes are expected, with drivers strongly encouraged to avoid the area. There will also be overnight closures at times.
Melbourne's south east
During spring, crews will put the finishing touches on the Metro Tunnel's Town Hall Station and State Library Station, and construction will power ahead on Suburban Rail Loop to get ready for tunnelling to start next year.
Buses replace trains on sections of the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines from Friday 29 August to Thursday 11 September, for work on Suburban Rail Loop, and for Metro Tunnel testing and trial operations. Buses will also replace trains at times during spring while level crossing removal works are underway in the south east.
Road improvements in Melbourne’s south-east will continue at Clyde Road, the Princes Freeway and the Thompsons Road and Berwick-Cranbourne Road Intersection in Berwick and Clyde North. Improvements also continue on Racecourse and Bald Hill roads as part of the Pakenham Roads Upgrade.
Regional Victoria
In regional Victoria, on the Gippsland Line coaches will replace trains for part or all of the journey from Friday 29 August to Friday 5 September during construction at the Suburban Rail Loop Clayton site.
There will also be coaches replacing trains at times on parts of the Ballarat, Ararat, Maryborough, Seymour and Shepparton lines.
Motorists heading to the Mornington Peninsula are urged to allow extra time during September and October, as major works continue on Peninsula Link. All southbound lanes, towards Rosebud, will close from 10am Sunday 7 September to mid October. Traffic management will direct drivers to exit at Bungower Road, then travel south on the Moorooduc Highway to return to Peninsula Link. Heavy vehicles will take an earlier exit at Frankston-Flinders Road to reach the Moorooduc Highway. Delays of up to 30 minutes are expected for drivers detouring and for those on surrounding roads.
At the same time, buses on Route 887 between Frankston and Rosebud will detour around the freeway closure using the Moorooduc Highway, resulting in longer journey times.
Find out more
Check for up-to-date disruptions information before you travel.
