A section of the Bulleen Road Interchange is now open, marking the first permanent piece of road delivered as part of the massive North East Link project to ease congestion across Melbourne’s northeast.
The freshly opened 270-metre stretch will help keep traffic moving while major works ramp up on the North East Link tunnel entrance and the sprawling interchange that will eventually link the Eastern Freeway with the 6.5-kilometre tunnels.
Crews used more than 100 of Victoria’s largest ‘Super T’ beams, each weighing up to 126 tonnes and stretching 43 metres, to complete the new road.
The Eastern Freeway upgrade is also well underway, set to deliver new express lanes, smart road technology and Melbourne’s first dedicated busway. In the coming months, two key pedestrian bridges at Estelle Street (Balwyn) and Heyington Avenue (Doncaster) will be replaced, improving access for walkers, cyclists and trail users.
Overnight freeway closures will begin in late July to allow safe bridge works, with a full weekend closure planned for September between Doncaster and Tram roads. Motorists should brace for delays of up to 90 minutes and plan alternative routes.
Once complete in 2028, the North East Link will slash travel times by up to 35 minutes, eliminate 18 sets of traffic lights, and remove 15,000 trucks from local roads daily.
