A big year for VIC North East Link as works recommence and ramp up

It’s a massive year for Victoria’s largest ever road project as major works on North East Link to restart and continue ramping up in 2023. 

The massive tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for the project are now being built and will be arriving on site later this year to begin digging the new tunnels. Five road headers that include some that were used on Metro Tunnel are being refurbished to dig a section of the North East Link tunnels in Bulleen. 

“We’re not wasting a minute making progress on North East Link. With tunnel boring machines on the way, locals are going to see a huge amount of construction as we get ready to start tunnelling in 2024,” Acting Premier and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said. 

In addition, works on the TBM launch box in Watsonia has also commenced with over 200 piles installed. The launch box is where the TBM will begin its journey south and it is about 40 metres deep and 200 metres long. It will include more than three Olympic swimming pools worth of concrete as well as 1,700 tonnes of steel. 

Lower Plenty Road will also be a hive of activity this year as crews excavate the site to pave the way for the construction of ramps into the North East Link tunnels. 

“This project has been talked about for a long time, so it is exciting to be prepared for the arrival of our TBMs – this is another important step in removing congestion from local roads,” Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines said. 

In Bulleen, a section of Bulleen Road will be moved further west to give way for the construction of the Yarra Link Green bridge and the major interchange that will connect an upgraded Eastern Freeway to the tunnels. 

This year, the Bulleen Park and Ride is set to be completed while the contracts for the Ring Road upgrade and overhaul of the first section of the Eastern Freeway are expected to be awarded. A tender process for the remaining Eastern Freeway upgrades – which will add 5 kilometres of new lanes between Springvale Road and Hoddle Street – will also get underway. 

“There is so much to look forward to on North East Link this year – from the completion of Bulleen Park and Ride to the completion of the TBM launch box. This project is going to be a game changer for so many Melburnians,” Member for North-Eastern Metropolitan Region Sonja Terpstra said. 

The North East Link program is made up of five big projects that will help change the way people move around Melbourne whether by road, bus or bike. 

The North East Link is comprised of the following projects: 

• North East Link Tunnels 
  • 6.5-kilometre tunnels with parklands, wetlands and a new-look Greensborough Road boulevard above 
  • Three interchanges at Lower Plenty Road, Manningham Road and the Eastern Freeway 
• Ring Road Completion 
  • Five new lanes with smart technology 
  • Two green bridges at Elder Street and Watsonia Road 
  • New multi-level car parking at Watsonia Station 
• Eastern Freeway Upgrades 
  • 11 minutes reduced between Springvale Road and Hoddle Street 
  • 45+ kilometres of new and upgraded lanes where they’re needed most 
  • Six express lanes for faster, smoother trips between Middleborough Road and Chandler Highway 
• Eastern Express Busway 
  • 11-kilometre dedicated bus lanes from Doncaster to the city 
  • 100km/h travel speeds 
  • A bus on average every minute during the peak 
  • New Bulleen Park and Ride and upgraded Doncaster Park and Ride 
• North East Trail 
  • 34+ kilometres of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths in 16 suburbs 
  • 40 new and upgraded bridges crossings 
  • Eight main trails linked to create 100 kilometres of continuous trail around Melbourne 

The North East Link is a major employer for the State. To date, there are 2,200 workers already working on the project – including 160 apprentices, trainees and cadets – who have worked over 143,000 hours. 

Overall, the North East Link program is expected to create 10,000 good local jobs over the life of the projects. 

The tunnels and freeway upgrades are due to be completed in 2028, removing 15,000 trucks off roads and reducing travel times by up to 35 minutes. 

Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Victoria’s Big Build – North East Link Program (1, 2); Roads & Infrastructure Australia; Infrastructure Magazine