Transforming road and rail travel

More than $18 billion is being invested into major road and rail projects in Melbourne’s north and north east as part of Victoria’s Big Build.

These projects will reduce congestion, cut travel times and provide more trains more often making getting to work, school and health services quicker and easier.

Building Victoria’s longest ever tunnels

North East Link is more than just Victoria’s biggest road project, it will change the way people move around Melbourne by bringing our road, bus and bike network together.

Last month we released the winning design for the project, with the tunnels extended by 2km in response to community feedback.

Twin 6.5km tunnels will be the longest ever built in Victoria, creating more space for parklands and wetlands above.

The Ring Road and Eastern Freeway will be improved with extra lanes and smart on-road technology, connecting seamlessly with North East Link.

Getting to and from the city on public transport will be quicker and easier on the Eastern Express Busway, with park and rides at Bulleen and Doncaster and a bus every minute in peak travel times.

More than 34km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths will link the north east to Yarra River trails and parklands.

Before we start construction, we’ll give you an opportunity to see and comment on the detailed designs in your local area – starting with the North East Link Tunnels in 2022.

North East Link will:

• Facilitate up to 135,000 trips a day.
• See driver's skipping 18 traffic lights from the Eastern Freeway to the airport.
• Slash 35 minutes off the commute between Melbourne’s north and east.
• Take 15,000 trucks off local roads a day.
• Create 10,000 jobs for Victorians.
• Build 3 new parklands and wetlands in Balwyn North, Bulleen and Yallambie.

Find out more about projects happening in the north.

More trains more often on the Hurstbridge Line

The Hurstbridge Line Duplication will deliver more trains, less crowding in peak times and better connections to public transport in Melbourne’s north east.

As part of the upgrade, we’re building new stations at Greensborough and Montmorency to improve safety and access.

The tracks will be doubled for about 2km between Greensborough and Montmorency and 1.5km between Diamond Creek and Wattle Glen.

Trains will run in the peak every:

• 7 minutes from Greensborough.
• 10 minutes from Eltham and Montmorency.
• 20 minutes Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen and Hurstbridge.

View the new designs for Greensborough and Montmorency stations.

Keeping the north in the loop

Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) will connect every major rail line from Cheltenham to Werribee, making journeys to jobs, retail, education and health services quicker and more convenient. Construction starts next year on SRL East from Cheltenham to Box Hill which is due to be complete by 2035.

Planning is also underway on SRL North from Box Hill to Melbourne Airport and SRL West from the airport to Werribee.

SRL North will have stops at Doncaster, Heidelberg, Bundoora, Reservoir, Fawkner and Broadmeadows. Broadmeadows Station will be transformed into a superhub, providing an interchange for V/Line services as well as a connection to the Craigieburn Line.

Suburban Rail Loop will facilitate:

• 26km of rail tunnels between Cheltenham and Box Hill for SRL East.
• Trains every 6 minutes at peak times, increasing to about every 2 minutes over time.
• 22 minute travel time from Cheltenham and Box Hill.

Find out more about Suburban Rail Loop.

Eastern Express Busway

• 11km of dedicated bus lanes from Doncaster towards the city.
• New Bulleen park and ride and upgraded Doncaster park and ride.
• A bus every minute  during the peak.
• 100km/h travel  speeds.

Transforming transport in the south east

Highlights

• North East Link - connecting the M80 Ring Road at Greensborough with the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen:
  • up to 29 minutes saved on trips to Melbourne Airport.
  • up to 35 minutes saved between Melbourne’s north and east.
  • up to 11 minutes saved on the Eastern Freeway.
• Major Road Projects Victoria - upgrading 13 roads across the north and north east.
• Hurstbridge Line Duplication - doubling around 3.5km of track to allow more trains to run.
• Level Crossing Removal Project - Bell Street, one of Melbourne’s busiest arterial roads, will be free of level crossings by 2022.

Sign up for email updates about projects in the north and north east.

Fitzsimons Lane Upgrade to improve safety

Traffic flow and safety will improve for the 60,000 people who drive through an upgraded Fitzsimons Lane, one of the busiest main roads in Melbourne’s north east.

With the limited number of crossing points, road users who want to cross the Yarra River are funnelled through the Fitzsimons Lane and Main Road intersection, creating congestion.

Construction is expected to be complete by 2023.

The upgrade will be crucial for those who rely on the crossing to connect them safely to their homes, workplaces and schools.

Construction has been ramping up in recent months with the relocation of services along Porter Street near the Templestowe Reserve and northern end of Hawtin Street now complete.

Read more about how we’ve refined the design of the Fitzsimons Lane Upgrade.

Work continues on the M80 Ring Road

We’re upgrading the M80 Ring Road from Laverton North to Greensborough, with work currently focused on the section between Sydney Road and Edgars Road.

We’ll add new lanes, upgrade key interchanges, install a smart freeway management system and build new on and off ramps to provide safer and more reliable journeys for drivers in Melbourne’s north.

Since the start of the year, we’ve upgraded the Blaxland Avenue walking and cycling overpass, started building new entry and exit ramps at Edgars Road and continued to build new lanes on the freeway.

North East Link combines 5 major projects in 1

Half a million Victorians live within 2km of a planned North East Link interchange, making it a great way to improve the way you move around Melbourne, whether by car, bus or bike.

North East Trail will create:

• 34km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths in 16 suburbs.
• 40 new and upgraded bridges and crossings.
• 8 main trails linked to create 100km of continuous trail around Melbourne.

Ring Road Completion will create:

• 5 new lanes with up-to-date technology.
• 2 green bridges at Elder Street and Watsonia Road.
• New multi-level parking at Watsonia Station.

North East Link Tunnels will create:

• 6.5km tunnels with parklands and wetlands.
• 3 simpler interchanges at Lower Plenty Road, Manningham Road and the Eastern Freeway.

Eastern Freeway Upgrades will create:

• 45km+ of new and upgraded lanes where they’re needed most.
• 6 express lanes for faster, smoother trips between Middleborough Road and Chandler Highway.

Find out more details about the North East Link Program.

Upcoming disruptions

We’re working hard to build a better transport network. While we work, road and public transport disruptions could affect your travel.

Getting ready for major construction on North East Link

Lane closures on Bulleen Road and the Eastern Freeway will be ongoing at various times during summer as we continue to relocate utility services.

Fitzsimons Lane upcoming closures

M80 Ring Road

There will be ongoing lane and ramp closures on the M80 Ring Road at Edgars Road and overnight closures of the freeway between Sydney Road and Edgars Road throughout summer.

Local roads and lanes closed in your area

Be prepared for reduced speed limits on Childs Road and Craigieburn Road as we continue upgrade works, as well as during finishing works for the Plenty Road and O’Herns Road upgrades.

Works on the Hurstbridge and Mernda lines

At times during December and January buses will replace trains as we work to remove level crossings on the Mernda Line and duplicate sections of the Hurstbridge Line.

Melbourne’s freeway network

Over summer, there’ll be major road works on the West Gate Bridge, West Gate Freeway, Monash Freeway and Princes Freeway. We’ll be closing key sections of the freeway network for road maintenance and resurfacing, as well as building new lanes and ramps.