Laing O’Rourke is delivering the first stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades in Victoria, leveraging its major project experience and proven track record in collaborative contracting.

Laing O’Rourke is delivering the multi-billion project as part of the Eastern Freeway – Burke to Tram Alliance with Major Road Projects Victoria, Symal, Arcadis and WSP.

The first major upgrade of the Eastern Freeway since the 1990s, the project will reduce travel time, take trucks off local roads and create better connections for the community to access local shops, public transport, schools and open spaces.

The scope of work includes:

• Six additional motor lanes to the Eastern Freeway between Burke Road and Tram Road, including on-road technology to ease congestion
• A major interchange at Bulleen, providing a seamless connection with the new North East Link tunnels and linking Melbourne’s east with the M80 Ring Road
• The first seven kilometres of the Eastern Busway (Melbourne’s first dedicated busway), including a connection to the Bulleen Park and Ride
• Replacement of the existing road bridge at Doncaster Road, including reconfiguration of access ramps, improved pedestrian paths and additional landscaping
• 11+ kilometres of new and upgraded noise walls, designed to meet Victoria's toughest 63 decibel noise standard, plus lower 58 decibel protection at night.
• New and upgraded walking and cycling connections, including new footbridges at Estelle Street and Heyington Avenue
• Upgrades to Koonung Creek Reserve and redevelopment of the existing Valda Wetlands within the Koonung Creek corridor
• Overhead gantries along the Freeway corridor to support road signage, traffic monitoring systems and similar operational infrastructure
• Dedicated staging area west of Doncaster Road on the Eastern Freeway for management of incidents and emergencies
• Yarra Valley Water Pressure Reducing Station at Koonung Creek Reserve
• Safety fencing, screening and barriers along bridges and paths

The Eastern Freeway Upgrades, North East Link tunnels and M80 Ring Road Completion in Greensborough will cut travel times by 35 minutes in the north east, take 15,000 trucks off local roads a day, and create 12,000 jobs across these three massive projects.

Major construction is starting in 2024 and the project will be complete in 2028.