The Victorian government has revealed the Eastern Freeway will close this week to all traffic as crews prepare for a weekend of around-the-clock works.
As part of the North East Link Project, the freeway will be closed in both directions between Doncaster and Bulleen roads from 10pm today until 5am on Monday November 10.
Delays of up to 90 minutes are expected for all vehicles looking to use the Eastern Freeway during this time, with entry ramps to the freeway at Chandler Highway (Ringwood-bound) and Elgar, Middleborough, Blackburn and Springvale roads (citybound) to be closed too.
Detours are in place via Doncaster, Bulleen, Thompsons, Manningham, Williamsons and Doncaster roads, while parking and stopping will be temporarily banned on these supporting roads.
The closure will allow crews to safely remove the Estelle Street walking and cycling bridge, which will be replaced with a wider, safer bridge opening in late 2025 alongside another new bridge at Heyington Avenue, Doncaster.
Crews will also take advantage of the shutdown to carry out piling, utility relocations, drainage, asphalting and installation of new traffic technology at Doncaster and Bulleen interchanges. Overnight closures will continue until late November to support bridge works, with detours and electronic signage in place.
Once complete, the freeway will connect to the North East Link tunnels in Bulleen, linking the east to the M80 Ring Road in Greensborough, cutting travel times by 35 minutes and removing 15,000 trucks from local roads daily.
The upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of 2028.
“We’re getting on with delivering vital improvements to the Eastern Freeway as part of North East Link, which will transform travel through northeastern Melbourne,” Victorian transport minister Gabrielle Williams says.
“We thank drivers for their patience and encourage everyone to plan ahead and avoid the area during the weekend closure where possible.”
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