Eastern Freeway to become massive 18-lane super highway

THE Eastern Freeway would be expanded to a whopping 18 lanes, while a “spaghetti junction” will be built underground to avoid a massive interchange according to new plans.

THE Eastern Freeway would be expanded to a whopping 18 lanes at some points to allow for a smoother connection to a new $16.5 billion toll road.

Updated designs for the planned North East Link have been released to the community, showing complex interchanges and off-ramps designed to minimise home and business acquisitions.

Dozens of properties will still need to be bought by the government to build the Link, which the government wants to start building in 2019 if re-elected, to connect the M80 in Greensborough and the Eastern Freeway in Bulleen.

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The freeway could expand to 18 lanes, including a bus lane going each way between Bulleen Rd and Doncaster Rd. Picture: North East Link Authority

Changes to initial concept designs show that three new “express lanes” will be built in each direction in the middle of the existing Eastern Freeway, where a current land reserve lies.

The express lanes will begin near the Tram Rd and Elgar Rd exits, and merge back on to the existing freeway lanes just past Bulleen Rd. At two points, the freeway will be 18 lanes wide — made up of four existing on and off ramps, six new lanes, six existing lanes, and two bus lanes.

The government has promised not to toll the Eastern Fwy despite the upgrades, but the North East Link will be tolled.

North East Link Authority chief executive Duncan Elliott said 75 per cent of trips on the new road were expected to be between the north and the south-east in both directions.

“People flying into Tullamarine will be able to drive to Portsea without a traffic light,” he said.

“Drive time from the Eastern to the Ring Road will be up to 30 minutes faster.” Bus-only lanes will be shifted to north of the Eastern Freeway, and at some points where there are currently 12 lanes, there will now be a total of 18 lanes.

A second Doncaster park and ride is likely to be added closer to the interchange at Bulleen Rd.

The Andrews Government wants to put its plan to tender straight after the November election, if it is re-elected, and the design could be tweaked by the winning consortium.

A “spaghetti junction”, or a maze of road tunnels, will be built underground. Picture: North East Link Authority

To try to minimise the impact of a massive new interchange at Manningham Rd, the North East Link Authority has designed a complex “spaghetti junction” to be built below the surface of the existing roads.

It includes several winding on and off ramps, which would be built from the top down and then covered.

Mr Elliott said this was a more expensive option but would protect more property.

“While neat diamond interchanges would be a simpler, cheaper option, we needed to avoid cutting into parkland and acquiring more homes,” he said.

Local roads will be maintained at interchanges and along the route of the planned toll road, in order to allow for locals to drive, ride or walk across the route.

There will be green bridges built across the tunnel entrance of the North East Link tunnel near the Greensborough Rd end.

Watsonia couple Jennie and Ian McGregor, whose house of 35 years will be acquired to make way for the project, said they had been told there would be no decision about their home until after the State Election.

“We’re in limbo,’’ Ms McGregor said.

“We are worried we’re not going to get a fair price. We only just paid off the mortgage last year and it was a great feeling. We don’t want to get another mortgage, we’re in our 60s.”

Mr McGregor said: “We’re pissed off — that’s the only word for it. To be treated like this, it’s not right.”

Macleod mother of three Karen Ernest said her home wasn’t being acquired but feared noise from construction and traffic would affect house prices.

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