The Albanese and Allan Labor governments are powering ahead on North East Link, appointing two world-class consortia as the preferred bidders for the next major elements of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades.
The Momentum consortium - comprising John Holland, Seymour Whyte, Jacobs and Mott Macdonald - has been selected as the preferred bidder for upgrades between Hoddle Street and Burke Road, including new lanes, connections to the Eastern Busway, and new walking and cycling paths.
The Synergy consortium - comprising CPB Contractors, BMD Constructions and Arup - has been selected to complete the Eastern Freeway Upgrades between Tram and Springvale roads, including new express lanes, upgraded noise walls and revitalised sections of the Koonung Creek Linear Park.
The Eastern Freeway will be overhauled from Hoddle Street to Springvale Road, with new express lanes, modern traffic management technology and Melbourne's first dedicated busway from Doncaster toward the city - seamlessly connecting to the new North East Link tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen.
Together, the three packages of Eastern Freeway works will add more than 45 kilometres of new lanes where they're needed most, slashing travel times by up to 11 minutes.
Major Road Projects Victoria will now work with both bidders ahead of contracts being awarded next year.
Significant work is underway to build North East Link and upgrade the freeways - two tunnel boring machines are digging under Yallambie, interchanges are being built near Lower Plenty Road and Manningham Road, and worksites are being set up along the Eastern Freeway and M80 Ring Road.
The Eastern Freeway Upgrades and North East Link tunnels will be complete in 2028, taking 15,000 trucks off local roads and saving up to 35 minutes in travel time between the east and outer north. The projects are jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments.
As stated by Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:
"Selecting preferred bidders for the next stages of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades is another important step in this project that will connect with the North East Link tunnels and make it easier to move around Melbourne.
"Together, the three packages of Eastern Freeway works will add more than 45 kilometres of new lanes where they're needed most, slashing travel times by up to 11 minutes."
As stated by Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson:
"We're delivering the first major upgrade of the Eastern Freeway since the it was built - slashing travel times and improving public transport in Melbourne's east."
