Locals have been encouraged to provide feedback on newly released designs for the next stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Tram Road to Springvale Road.
The Urban Design and Landscape Plan responds to close to three years of community consultation and more than 15,000 pieces of feedback received through the project’s planning stages.
An improved lane layout between Tram and Middleborough roads will be easier for drivers to use and return more space for trees and plants than the initial Environment Effects Statement (EES) design.
Travel speeds that can be as slow as 45km/h through this section of the freeway in the peak now will increase to more than 85km/h, and up to 100km/h in the off peak.
The plan also includes more than 1.6 kilometres of improvements for Koonung Creek Trail, bridges and underpasses, including two new bridges to Eram Park in Box Hill North.
In Blackburn North and Nunawading, the Eastern Freeway will be lowered to keep existing bridges at Koonung Road and Cabena Street, with improvements to provide better connections to Koonung Creek Trail.
Open space will also be improved with over 2,000 trees and 1 million plants to enhance existing areas of Koonung Creek and trail and return areas of Eram Park and Junction Road Reserve needed to support construction.
4.7 km of noise-reducing asphalt will be used to better manage tyre noise at the source and help keep existing noise walls – reducing construction disruption for residents and keeping more existing trees. 3.5 km of new noise walls will be built where existing walls need to be replaced.
The upgrades from Tram Road to Springvale Road are the next stage in a major overhaul of the Eastern Freeway to cut travel times and connect Melbourne’s east with the new North East Link and upgraded M80 Ring Road in Greensborough.
When complete, the projects will save 35 minutes on a trip between Melbourne’s north and east and take 15,000 trucks a day off local roads.
The Urban Design and Landscape Plan for the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Tram Road to Springvale Road is on exhibition for community feedback until Sunday 28 September 2025. For more information, visit engage.vic.gov.au/bigbuild.
Designs for the remaining stage of the Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Hoddle Street to Burke Road will be on exhibition for comment later this year.
