Motorists are being urged to plan ahead of a major weekend shutdown of the Eastern Freeway to allow critical works as part of the North East Link Project.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams announced the freeway will be closed in both directions between Doncaster and Bulleen roads from 10:00pm Friday 7 November to 5:00am Monday 10 November.
Drivers are warned to expect delays of up to 90 minutes, with detours in place via Doncaster, Bulleen, Thompsons, Manningham, Williamsons and Doncaster roads. Entry ramps at Chandler Highway (Ringwood-bound) and Elgar, Middleborough, Blackburn and Springvale roads (citybound) will also be closed during the works.
To ease congestion, parking and stopping will be temporarily banned along Doncaster Road between Burke Road and Greythorn Road. Right turns will be closed at key intersections, including Manningham Road into Thompsons Road and High Street, and Doncaster Road into Elgar and Tram roads.
The weekend closure will allow the safe dismantling of the Estelle Street bridge, which will be replaced with a wider, safer structure opening in late 2025, alongside a new bridge at Heyington Avenue, Doncaster.
Crews will also use the shutdown to complete piling, drainage works, utility relocations, asphalting and install new traffic management technology at the Doncaster and Bulleen interchanges.
Overnight closures will continue throughout November to support ongoing bridge construction, with electronic signage and detours in place to guide motorists.
The Eastern Freeway upgrades will deliver new express lanes, managed motorway systems and Melbourne’s first dedicated busway, cutting travel times by up to 11 minutes and improving public transport links across the eastern suburbs.
Once complete, the freeway will connect to the North East Link tunnels in Bulleen, linking the east to the M80 Ring Road in Greensborough, reducing travel times by 35 minutes and removing 15,000 trucks from local roads daily.
