What is the North East Link?
North East Link includes
- Victoria’s longest road tunnels: three-lane twin tunnels travelling for six kilometres, protecting properties and the sensitive Banyule Flats area
- Interchanges at the M80 Ring Road, Grimshaw Street, Lower Plenty Road, Manningham Road and Bulleen Road
- Melbourne’s first dedicated busway with express lanes along the Eastern Freeway from Doncaster towards the city.
The idea for a North East Link was first considered in 1929. It is now identified as Victoria’s priority road project by Infrastructure Victoria and will be the single biggest investment in road transport infrastructure in Victorian history.
North East Link is the biggest road transport project in Victoria’s history – finally fixing the missing link in Melbourne’s freeway network.
Up to 135,000 vehicles will use North East Link every day, reducing congestion in the north-east while maintaining local roads for local trips.
Planning
Fixing the missing link in Melbourne’s freeway network has been talked about for decades – as far back as 1929.
In 2016, Infrastructure Victoria – our State’s independent infrastructure advisors – named North East Link as the State’s next priority road project, and the Victorian Government committed to build it.
Since then, the project has been through more than three years of intensive and robust planning and construction has started.
With more than 15,750 pieces of community feedback received, we’re also well on our way to delivering the state’s largest ever community consultation program.
Key steps and stages
- 2017 – Corridor selection
Determining where to build North East Link
- 2018 – Business case
Assessing the benefits North East Link will deliver and recommending how it could, and should, be funded
- 2018-2019 – Planning and approvals
Preparing a reference project for intensive studies to assess environmental effects and set strict conditions the project must meet
- 2020 – Construction starts
Moving key power, water, gas and other services out of the way
- 2021 – Final builder, final design, major construction
Successful Primary Package builder appointed, final design released and major constructions starts
Construction timelines
Early works for North East Link started in 2020
Major construction for North East Link to start by 2021
North East Link is expected to open to traffic in 2027
Works
Find out what works are currently happening in your area – click here
Find out more about the early works program – click here
