We’re bringing our road, bus and bike network together across the north east.
The North East Link tunnels will take 15,000 trucks off local roads a day and reduce travel times by up to 35 minutes. In response to community feedback, we’re building longer tunnels and simpler interchanges to create more space for parklands, wetlands and a tree-lined Greensborough Road boulevard.
A massive upgrade to the M80 Ring Road will improve traffic flow with new lanes and up-to-date technology. Two new green bridges in Watsonia will connect locals to brand-new multi-level train station car parking.
A major overhaul will modernise the Eastern Freeway. Express lanes will reduce travel times and a new green bridge in Bulleen will connect Koonung Creek Trail to Yarra River parklands.
Melbourne’s first dedicated busway will make it quicker and easier to get to and from the city with a bus every minute in the peak, an upgraded park and ride in Doncaster and a fast-tracked park and ride in Bulleen.
More than 34km of walking and cycling paths, 40 bridges and crossings will link our city’s north and east to Yarra River trails and parklands, making it faster and easier to ride to the city and move about local suburbs by bike or on foot.
Explore the design for the projects
Getting builders on board
To deliver these 3 massive projects, we will progressively appoint teams of builders. The North East Link tunnels will take the longest to build, so we started with these first. In June 2021, the Spark consortium was appointed as our partner to take on the next stage of more detailed design and manage construction.
In late 2023, 2 delivery teams were appointed for the next big elements of the North East Link – the overhaul of the first part of the Eastern Freeway and the completion of the M80 Ring Road, Greensborough. Urban Design and Landscape Plans (UDLPs) for the M80 Ring Road Completion and the first stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Burke to Tram roads were on exhibition for public comment on Engage Victoria in October 2023.
The timing for detailed design and construction will be carefully staged, so the 3 projects are completed in 2028, bringing all the pieces of North East Link together.
