$9.5B of works awarded for North East Link project

The Victorian Government has awarded contracts for works on the North East Link project, which includes the two largest freeway overhauls in the State’s history.

Nexus – made up of Laing O’Rourke Australia Construction Pty Ltd, Symal Infrastructure Pty Ltd, WSP Australia Pty Ltd and Arcadis Australia Pacific Pty Ltd – has been appointed to deliver the first part of the $5.7 billion overhaul of the Eastern Freeway from Burke to Tram Road.

AMA – made up of Acciona Construction Australia Pty Ltd, AECOM Australia Pty Ltd, and MACA Civil Pty Ltd – will deliver the $3.8 billion M80 Ring Road Upgrade.

The Eastern Freeway overhaul will see more than 45 kilometres of new lanes and new traffic management systems along the freeway to deliver 11-minute travel time savings between Springvale Road and Hoddle Street, 10 kilometres of walking and cycling paths and a rebuilt Koonung Creek Reserve. This will also include new noise walls.

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Works on the M80 Ring Road Upgrade will add nearly 15 kilometres of new lanes from Plenty Road to the new North East Link, a more efficient interchange at Grimshaw Street and new walking and cycling links.

Tunnelling on the North East Link Tunnels is set to being next year.

It’s also important to note that the project cost for the North East Link has surpassed the estimated project cost of $16 billion (in 2019) to now almost $26 billion.

Premier Jacinta Allan attributed the cost blowout to consequences from the COVID pandemic and the Ukraine conflict.

The North East Link is projected to be completed by 2028.

For more information on the project, click here.