Victoria’s biggest road project to date has reached another major milestone with the first contracts awarded for the delivery of the Eastern Freeway Upgrade and M80 Ring Road Upgrade, following an extensive competitive bidding process.
The two projects are part of the broader North East Link development that also includes the State’s longest road tunnels – the 6.5-kilometre twin tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen.
Nexus – a consortium comprised of Laing O’Rourke Australia Construction Pty Ltd, Symal Infrastructure Pty Ltd, WSP Australia Pty Ltd and Arcadis Australia Pacific Pty Ltd – has been appointed to undertake the first part of the $5.7 billion Eastern Freeway Upgrade between Burke and Tram roads.
On the other hand, the AMA consortium – made up of ACCIONA Construction Australia Pty Ltd, AECOM Australia Pty Ltd and MACA Civil Pty Ltd – will deliver the $3.8 billion M80 Ring Road Completion project.
“This project has been talked about for 60 years – we’re getting on and building the much-needed missing link because families in our growing state need it and jobs depend on it,” Premier Jacinta Allan said.
Six years of detailed design and planning work resulted in significant additional scope to be added to the North East Link project as a response to community feedback. This includes a longer tunnel, a major upgrade of the M80 Ring Road at Greensborough, better interchanges as well as more public open space.
The multi-billion-dollar Eastern Freeway Upgrade is the first major upgrade to the freeway in decades. The project will deliver more than 45 kilometres of new lanes and new traffic management systems along the freeway. The works will ultimately reduce travel times by 11 minutes between Springvale Road and Hoddle Street while delivering 10 kilometres of walking and cycling paths and a rebuilt Koonung Creek Reserve.
The project will also deliver Melbourne’s first dedicated busway from Doncaster to the city along with an upgraded Park and Ride at Doncaster.
To better protect local homes from disruptions, new noise walls will be established along the project route.
The Eastern Freeway Upgrade will run from Hoddle Street to Springvale Road. The upgrade is going to be carried out in three key stages, with the first stage covering Burke to Tram roads. Local designs for Hoddle to Burke roads and Tram to Springvale roads are yet to be released, and contracts for the two projects still to be awarded.
In the north, another major upgrade will be carried out to complete the M80 Ring Road at Greensborough. The project will add almost 15 kilometres of new lanes from Plenty Road to a new M80 interchange, seamlessly connecting to the new North East Link tunnels and moving through-traffic under a new Grimshaw Street interchange. In addition, two landscaped bridges will be built to make it easier for locals to get to Watsonia Station, shops and community spaces.
Works on the two massive road projects are expected to ramp up starting in early 2024. Significant disruptions are anticipated over the coming years as construction on the two projects is carried out.
“The cost of not building this project is too great – we simply can’t do without it – and we’re investing more because we have expanded the project and we’re delivering it in a different economic environment,” Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson said.
“We have expanded this project in line with what the world’s best engineers, drivers and the local community have told us,” Major Road Projects Victoria CEO Duncan Elliott said.
Works on the North East Link tunnels are also progressing well with new Bulleen Road lanes now open to traffic. You can read more about it here.
All three projects under the North East Link development are expected to open to traffic in 2028.
The North East Link tunnels, Eastern Freeway Upgrade and M80 Ring Road Completion projects are jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments. Collectively, the projects are expected to create 12,000 jobs.
Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Victoria’s Big Build – North East Link (1, 2, 3, 4); Roads & Infrastructure Australia