EastLink, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
EastLink is a A$
2.5 billion tolled freeway linking a large area through the eastern and south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne
, Australia
. It is a part of Melbourne's Metropolitan Ring Road project.
EastLink is electronically tolled with no cash booths, using a system developed by SICE. The SICE Tolling System is similar to (and interoperable with) the e-TAG
system used on the CityLink
tollway. EastLink was opened to traffic on Sunday 29 June 2008 and in conjunction with the opening, a month long toll-free period occurred before regular tolling commenced on 27 July 2008.
The project was constructed by a joint venture
of Australian construction companies Thiess and John Holland, with tolling system contracted to SICE, and mechanical and electrical work contracted to United Group
Infrastructure.
Signs at the entrances and on the tollway direct to Ringwood
, Dandenong
, Frankston
and Doncaster
.
as the F35 Freeway.
The motorway has been a contentious issue, amid concerns over environmental damage and the possibility it would lead to a 'complete' metropolitan ring road. In October 1999 the Bracks Government announced that the motorway (which Labor had not promised at the election) had been scrapped. Instead the government promised to investigate a preferred route for the Rowville railway line and extend the 75 tram to Knox, of which neither have been fulfilled. However, in 'major policy about-face' the Bracks Government announced in August 2000 that they would seek federal funding for the motorway. To obtain funding the motorway would need to be classified as a road of 'national importance', despite the fact that it did not form part of the national highway grid. The 'U-turn' on the motorway was strongly criticised by opponents such as the Public Transport Users Association
as it would result in public transport alternatives such as the Rowville railway line being scrapped.
In 2001, University of Melbourne academic Paul Mees
launched legal action in the Federal Court seeking an injunction under section 475 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to prevent Transport Minister Peter Batchelor
and the Roads Corporation (VicRoads
) from "taking any further action relating to the construction of the Scoresby freeway or the Eastern Ring Road". He alleged that the motorway would threaten migratory birds, plant species and wetlands and that the motorway was part of a larger plan to build a metropolitan ring road to Greensborough. In light of the court case, state government bureaucrats removed references to the metropolitan ring road from a draft Metropolitan Strategy.
In 2003, the Southern and Eastern Integrated Transport Authority (SEITA) was established by the Victorian Government, to manage and oversee the project on behalf of the government. SEITA was responsible for managing the process of selecting a private sector bidder.
In October 2004, SEITA awarded the contract for the design, construction, and operation of EastLink to ConnectEast
, a company that was publicly listed on the ASX
in November 2004. ConnectEast subsequently contracted Thiess John Holland, a group formed by the partnership of two major construction companies, to carry out the detailed design and construction of EastLink.
ConnectEast, as owner of the road, is now responsible for its day-to-day management, until the concession deed expires in [(a period of 39 years). EastLink's construction began in March 2005, and the road opened on 29 June 2008
On 27 February 2008, it was announced that the EastLink / Monash Freeway interchange would be named the "Tom Wills Interchange", after the founder of Australian rules football
Tom Wills
. On 24 March 2008 Tim Pallas
announced that the twin tunnels would be named 'Melba' and 'Mullum Mullum', in the inbound and outbound direction, respectively.
The opening of the road on 29 June 2008 saw traffic on nearby Stud, Springvale and Blackburn Roads drop by 30% to 40%, but traffic on the an Eastern Freeway rose by 5 per cent at the Burke Road intersection, and by about 1-2 per cent at Hoddle Street in the city. On average 270,868 cars, trucks and motorbikes travelled on the road every day until the tolling was introduced on 23 July. In the first week after the introduction of tolls, the average number of daily trips fell to 133,722. This was in line with estimates of a 40 to 50 per cent decline, but is a third below prospectus forecasts. The average toll per trip was $3.10 - above the estimates of $2.91.
In its first six months of operation, Eastlink made a loss of almost $93 million. In 2010 the road had to be refinanced with its traffic forecasts rewritten due to lower than expected traffic volumes.
On 23 March 2005, with the beginning of construction on the project, then Premier Steve Bracks
announced that the road would be called EastLink, at a ceremony in Rowville. The new name was reportedly chosen because it is easier to say and apparently easier to remember and fit on the street directories.
On 27 February 2008, it was announced that the EastLink / Monash Freeway interchange would be named the "Tom Wills Interchange", after the founder of Australian rules football
Tom Wills
.
On 24 March 2008 Tim Pallas
announced that the twin tunnels would be named 'Melba' and 'Mullum Mullum', in the inbound and outbound direction, respectively.
, before tunnelling eastward towards Ringwood
under the Mullum Mullum Creek area. It then travels 40 km south towards Frankston
, passing through the suburbs of Wantirna
, Wantirna South
, Scoresby
, Rowville
, Mulgrave
, Dandenong North
, Noble Park
, Keysborough
, Dandenong South
, Bangholme
, and Carrum Downs
, before ending at the northern end of the Frankston Freeway. The majority of the freeway has three lanes running in each direction, while between Thompson Rd and Frankston Freeway, there are 2 lanes running in each direction.
called the Dandenong Bypass (also referred to as the Dandenong Southern Bypass during its construction) was built by ConnectEast and Thiess John Holland as part of the EastLink project. The bypass opened on 9 December 2007.
e-TAG
system used on CityLink.
The system features a uniquely designed electronic vehicle tag, the "Breeze Tag", which is about half the size of the standard design of e-TAG. The Breeze system is provided by Spanish
company SICE, with the Road Side Equipment, including the Breeze Tags, provided by Swedish
firm Kapsch TrafficCom AB, under the PREMID brand of DSRC products.
Tolls on EastLink can be charged in three different ways:
If a driver travels on EastLink without taking any of the three actions above to pay for the toll(s) either prior to, or within three days after travel, an invoice for cost of the toll(s) plus an account processing fee will be sent to the registered vehicle's owner. If the toll invoice is not paid, an overdue notice (with an additional processing fee) is issued. If the invoice is still not paid, a fine is issued by Victoria Police.
and High Street Road, slightly more for the longer sections near the south of the tollway, right up to a one way trip through the tunnel section between Maroondah Highway / Ringwood Bypass
and Springvale Road which costs $2.37. Lower rates apply to motorcycles while higher rates apply for some four wheel drives, some utility vehicles, buses and trucks.
Discounts are also offered to car drivers. A 20 per cent discount applies to the cost of any trip(s) taken on a Saturday or Sunday and also to one way trips between two consecutive interchanges (excluding the tunnels) on weekdays. At any time, cars will not be charged more than $5.15 for a one way trip on EastLink.
was able to conduct a traffic report which found that:
Another study conducted by Banyule Council showed that, since EastLink opened in June 2008, 800 more trucks a day use main roads in Heidelberg and Rosanna.
In general, it appears as though Eastlink has funnelled large amounts of traffic onto the Eastern Freeway and has attracted an increase in commuters using arterial roads in local areas. Decreases appear to be on small stretches of local roads where Eastlink provides a quicker alternative.
is a shared walking and cycle path that follows a similar North/South route to the EastLink project. Using it, cyclists and pedestrians are able to cycle or walk most of the distance of the road, along a 3 metre wide dedicated concrete
path. Many major roads are crossed via under or over passes. Some roads, such as High Street Road (and until November 2009, Burwood Highway), require crossing the road at grade
.
In wet weather, two underpasses are not trafficable as they have been built on floodways. These are the Ferntree Gully Road underpass and the Wellington Road underpass. After a medium amount of rain the underpasses flood and trail users must cross over the major roads to continue along the path. This can prove dangerous and during peak traffic times, trail users are known to have waited up to 20 minutes to safely cross the roads when the underpasses have flooded.
The Eastlink trail stops in Dandenong and does not continue. Users may take the Dandenong Creek Trail from this point which will take them to Carrum. From there, Frankston is approximately 10 km away.
For those using the trail, substantial deviations from Eastlnk must be taken into account in travel times as the shared path does not follow the freeway in many cases as existing trails were joined up to the trails specifically built during the construction of the road. This has led to some very twisty sections of trail and in some cases, detours of over 3 km from the Eastlink.
According to EastLink's builders, the road will relieve traffic congestion throughout Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs, resulting in more efficient traffic flow, therefore reducing fuel consumption and exhaust output.
During the planning phase (then a VicRoads
project), a large debate surrounding damage to the Mullum Mullum Valley occurred. A number of options for the path of the road through the valley were considered. The option chosen - for two 1.6 km tunnels - was the second-to-most expensive, and the second-to-most environmentally friendly. Other options considered in planning included a surface road for the entire length, much shorter tunnels, and slightly longer tunnels.
However, despite the attention on tunneling beneath the Mullum Mullum Gorge, the Ringwood Interchange is entirely above-ground and has resulted in relocation of the creek through this area.
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
2.5 billion tolled freeway linking a large area through the eastern and south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is a part of Melbourne's Metropolitan Ring Road project.
EastLink is electronically tolled with no cash booths, using a system developed by SICE. The SICE Tolling System is similar to (and interoperable with) the e-TAG
E-TAG
e-TAG is an electronic toll collection system used on tollways throughout Australia. Based upon the DSRC protocol, it was originally developed by Transurban for use on their CityLink tollway in the early 1990s, with the system since adopted by all electronic tolled roads, bridges and tunnels in...
system used on the CityLink
CityLink
CityLink is a system of tolled urban Highways in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The company Transurban was awarded the contract to augment two existing freeways and construct two new Toll roads—labelled the Western and Southern Links—directly linking a number of existing freeways to...
tollway. EastLink was opened to traffic on Sunday 29 June 2008 and in conjunction with the opening, a month long toll-free period occurred before regular tolling commenced on 27 July 2008.
The project was constructed by a joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
of Australian construction companies Thiess and John Holland, with tolling system contracted to SICE, and mechanical and electrical work contracted to United Group
United Group
UGL Limited is an engineering and property services company. The company provides construction, maintenance and asset management services to the rail, resources and infrastructure sectors and corporate real estate, facilities management and business process outsourcing services to property users...
Infrastructure.
Signs at the entrances and on the tollway direct to Ringwood
Ringwood, Victoria
Ringwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Ringwood had a population of 15,185....
, Dandenong
Dandenong, Victoria
Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of...
, Frankston
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
and Doncaster
Doncaster, Victoria
Doncaster is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 15 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham. At the 2006 Census, Doncaster had a population of 17,879....
.
History
The road was originally shown in the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan
The 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan was a road and rail transport plan for Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia instituted by Henry Bolte's state government...
as the F35 Freeway.
The motorway has been a contentious issue, amid concerns over environmental damage and the possibility it would lead to a 'complete' metropolitan ring road. In October 1999 the Bracks Government announced that the motorway (which Labor had not promised at the election) had been scrapped. Instead the government promised to investigate a preferred route for the Rowville railway line and extend the 75 tram to Knox, of which neither have been fulfilled. However, in 'major policy about-face' the Bracks Government announced in August 2000 that they would seek federal funding for the motorway. To obtain funding the motorway would need to be classified as a road of 'national importance', despite the fact that it did not form part of the national highway grid. The 'U-turn' on the motorway was strongly criticised by opponents such as the Public Transport Users Association
Public Transport Users Association
The Public Transport Users Association is a community-based public transport lobby group in Victoria, Australia, based in Melbourne.- History and Aims :...
as it would result in public transport alternatives such as the Rowville railway line being scrapped.
In 2001, University of Melbourne academic Paul Mees
Paul Mees
Paul Mees is an Australian academic, currently serving as a senior lecturer at the school of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning at RMIT University, previously at University of Melbourne...
launched legal action in the Federal Court seeking an injunction under section 475 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to prevent Transport Minister Peter Batchelor
Peter Batchelor
Peter Batchelor was an Australian politician before retiring at the Victorian State Election on 27 November 2010. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1990, representing the electorate of Thomastown. He served most recently as Minister for Energy and...
and the Roads Corporation (VicRoads
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...
) from "taking any further action relating to the construction of the Scoresby freeway or the Eastern Ring Road". He alleged that the motorway would threaten migratory birds, plant species and wetlands and that the motorway was part of a larger plan to build a metropolitan ring road to Greensborough. In light of the court case, state government bureaucrats removed references to the metropolitan ring road from a draft Metropolitan Strategy.
In 2003, the Southern and Eastern Integrated Transport Authority (SEITA) was established by the Victorian Government, to manage and oversee the project on behalf of the government. SEITA was responsible for managing the process of selecting a private sector bidder.
In October 2004, SEITA awarded the contract for the design, construction, and operation of EastLink to ConnectEast
ConnectEast
ConnectEast is an Australian limited corporation responsible for the finance, design, construction and operation of Melbourne's EastLink tollway project....
, a company that was publicly listed on the ASX
Australian Securities Exchange
The Australian Securities Exchange was created by the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange in July 2006. It is the primary stock exchange group in Australia....
in November 2004. ConnectEast subsequently contracted Thiess John Holland, a group formed by the partnership of two major construction companies, to carry out the detailed design and construction of EastLink.
ConnectEast, as owner of the road, is now responsible for its day-to-day management, until the concession deed expires in [(a period of 39 years). EastLink's construction began in March 2005, and the road opened on 29 June 2008
On 27 February 2008, it was announced that the EastLink / Monash Freeway interchange would be named the "Tom Wills Interchange", after the founder of Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
Tom Wills
Tom Wills
Thomas Wentworth "Tom" Wills was an Australian all-round sportsman, umpire, coach and administrator who is credited with being a catalyst towards the invention of Australian rules football....
. On 24 March 2008 Tim Pallas
Tim Pallas
Timothy Hugh Pallas is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2006, representing the electorate of Tarneit...
announced that the twin tunnels would be named 'Melba' and 'Mullum Mullum', in the inbound and outbound direction, respectively.
The opening of the road on 29 June 2008 saw traffic on nearby Stud, Springvale and Blackburn Roads drop by 30% to 40%, but traffic on the an Eastern Freeway rose by 5 per cent at the Burke Road intersection, and by about 1-2 per cent at Hoddle Street in the city. On average 270,868 cars, trucks and motorbikes travelled on the road every day until the tolling was introduced on 23 July. In the first week after the introduction of tolls, the average number of daily trips fell to 133,722. This was in line with estimates of a 40 to 50 per cent decline, but is a third below prospectus forecasts. The average toll per trip was $3.10 - above the estimates of $2.91.
In its first six months of operation, Eastlink made a loss of almost $93 million. In 2010 the road had to be refinanced with its traffic forecasts rewritten due to lower than expected traffic volumes.
Naming history
Over the years the project was variously referred to as the Eastern Ring Road, Scoresby Freeway, Scoresby Bypass, and Mitcham-Frankston Freeway.On 23 March 2005, with the beginning of construction on the project, then Premier Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
announced that the road would be called EastLink, at a ceremony in Rowville. The new name was reportedly chosen because it is easier to say and apparently easier to remember and fit on the street directories.
On 27 February 2008, it was announced that the EastLink / Monash Freeway interchange would be named the "Tom Wills Interchange", after the founder of Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
Tom Wills
Tom Wills
Thomas Wentworth "Tom" Wills was an Australian all-round sportsman, umpire, coach and administrator who is credited with being a catalyst towards the invention of Australian rules football....
.
On 24 March 2008 Tim Pallas
Tim Pallas
Timothy Hugh Pallas is an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2006, representing the electorate of Tarneit...
announced that the twin tunnels would be named 'Melba' and 'Mullum Mullum', in the inbound and outbound direction, respectively.
Route
EastLink begins at the eastern end of the Eastern Freeway at Springvale Road in NunawadingNunawading, Victoria
Nunawading is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse...
, before tunnelling eastward towards Ringwood
Ringwood, Victoria
Ringwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Ringwood had a population of 15,185....
under the Mullum Mullum Creek area. It then travels 40 km south towards Frankston
Frankston, Victoria
Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula...
, passing through the suburbs of Wantirna
Wantirna, Victoria
Wantirna is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox. At the 2006 Census, Wantirna had a population of 13,978....
, Wantirna South
Wantirna South, Victoria
Wantirna South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox, Wantirna South is a border suburb to City of Whitehorse and City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Wantirna South had a population...
, Scoresby
Scoresby, Victoria
Scoresby is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox...
, Rowville
Rowville, Victoria
Rowville is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox. At the 2006 Census, Rowville had a population of 34,412....
, Mulgrave
Mulgrave, Victoria
Mulgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Mulgrave had a population of 16,280....
, Dandenong North
Dandenong North, Victoria
Dandenong North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong...
, Noble Park
Noble Park, Victoria
Noble Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 26 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong...
, Keysborough
Keysborough, Victoria
Keysborough is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong...
, Dandenong South
Dandenong South, Victoria
Dandenong South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong. At the 2006 Census, Dandenong South had a population of 4867....
, Bangholme
Bangholme, Victoria
Bangholme is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district and adjacent to the urban area. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong...
, and Carrum Downs
Carrum Downs, Victoria
Carrum Downs is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 34 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Frankston. At the 2006 Census, Carrum Downs had a population of 17,213....
, before ending at the northern end of the Frankston Freeway. The majority of the freeway has three lanes running in each direction, while between Thompson Rd and Frankston Freeway, there are 2 lanes running in each direction.
Exits and intersections
EastLink  |
|||
| Northbound exits | Distance to Melbourne via (km) |
Distance to Frankston (km) |
Southbound exits |
| End EastLink continues as Eastern Freeway to Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
22 | 44 | Start EastLink from Eastern Freeway |
| Nunawading Nunawading, Victoria Nunawading is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse... , Donvale Donvale, Victoria Donvale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham. At the 2006 Census, Donvale had a population of 11,667... Springvale Road  |
|||
| MELBA TUNNEL | -- | -- | MULLUM MULLUM TUNNEL |
| Ringwood Ringwood, Victoria Ringwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Ringwood had a population of 15,185.... , Mount Dandenong Mount Dandenong, Victoria Mount Dandenong is both a mountain and small township/suburb of Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 35 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges... Ringwood Bypass Ringwood Bypass The Ringwood Bypass is a short stretch of road extending from EastLink to Maroondah Highway in Melbourne, Australia. It allows the Maroondah Highway to bypass the main shopping centre in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Ringwood....  |
27 | 39 | Ringwood Ringwood, Victoria Ringwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Ringwood had a population of 15,185.... , Mount Dandenong Mount Dandenong, Victoria Mount Dandenong is both a mountain and small township/suburb of Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 35 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges... Ringwood Bypass Ringwood Bypass The Ringwood Bypass is a short stretch of road extending from EastLink to Maroondah Highway in Melbourne, Australia. It allows the Maroondah Highway to bypass the main shopping centre in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Ringwood.... |
| Nunawading Nunawading, Victoria Nunawading is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse... , Box Hill Box Hill, Victoria Box Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Box Hill had a population of 8,616.... (left turn only) Maroondah Highway Maroondah Highway Maroondah Highway , is a major east-west thoroughfare in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and a highway servicing the lower alpine region Victoria, Australia.-History:...  |
Ringwood Ringwood, Victoria Ringwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Ringwood had a population of 15,185.... , Box Hill Box Hill, Victoria Box Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Box Hill had a population of 8,616.... Maroondah Highway Maroondah Highway Maroondah Highway , is a major east-west thoroughfare in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and a highway servicing the lower alpine region Victoria, Australia.-History:... |
||
| BELGRAVE / LILYDALE RAIL LINE |
BELGRAVE / LILYDALE RAIL LINE |
||
| Forest Hill Forest Hill, Victoria Forest Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Forest Hill had a population of 9315.-History:... , Heathmont Heathmont, Victoria Heathmont is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Heathmont had a population of 8449.-History:... Canterbury Road  |
29 | 37 | Heathmont Heathmont, Victoria Heathmont is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2006 Census, Heathmont had a population of 8449.-History:... , Forest Hill Forest Hill, Victoria Forest Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Forest Hill had a population of 9315.-History:... Canterbury Road |
| Mitcham Mitcham, Victoria Mitcham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Mitcham had a population of 14,211.-History:... , Wantirna Wantirna, Victoria Wantirna is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox. At the 2006 Census, Wantirna had a population of 13,978.... Boronia Road  |
31 | 35 | Wantirna Wantirna, Victoria Wantirna is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox. At the 2006 Census, Wantirna had a population of 13,978.... , Mitcham Mitcham, Victoria Mitcham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Mitcham had a population of 14,211.-History:... Boronia Road |
| Burwood Burwood, Victoria Burwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is largely the City of Whitehorse but includes the City of Monash in its south west corner. At the 2006 Census, Burwood had a population of 11,886.-History:The... , Belgrave Belgrave, Victoria Belgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 35 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 Census, Belgrave had a population of 4094... Burwood Highway Burwood Highway Burwood Highway is a major transportation link with Melbourne's eastern suburbs. It begins in the suburb of Kooyong, Melbourne at the junction of the Monash Freeway as Toorak Road between Monash Freeway and Warrigal Road, and finishes in Belgrave, Victoria in the Dandenong Ranges...  |
33 | 33 | Belgrave Belgrave, Victoria Belgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 35 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 Census, Belgrave had a population of 4094... , Burwood Burwood, Victoria Burwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is largely the City of Whitehorse but includes the City of Monash in its south west corner. At the 2006 Census, Burwood had a population of 11,886.-History:The... Burwood Highway Burwood Highway Burwood Highway is a major transportation link with Melbourne's eastern suburbs. It begins in the suburb of Kooyong, Melbourne at the junction of the Monash Freeway as Toorak Road between Monash Freeway and Warrigal Road, and finishes in Belgrave, Victoria in the Dandenong Ranges... |
| Glen Waverley Glen Waverley, Victoria Glen Waverley is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash... , Wantirna South Wantirna South, Victoria Wantirna South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox, Wantirna South is a border suburb to City of Whitehorse and City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Wantirna South had a population... High Street Road  |
35 | 31 | Glen Waverley Glen Waverley, Victoria Glen Waverley is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash... , Wantirna South Wantirna South, Victoria Wantirna South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox, Wantirna South is a border suburb to City of Whitehorse and City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Wantirna South had a population... High Street Road |
| Oakleigh Oakleigh, Victoria Oakleigh is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and is located 14 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Oakleigh had a population of 6,876.... , Scoresby Scoresby, Victoria Scoresby is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox... Ferntree Gully Road  |
38 | 28 | Scoresby Scoresby, Victoria Scoresby is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox... , Oakleigh Oakleigh, Victoria Oakleigh is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and is located 14 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Oakleigh had a population of 6,876.... Ferntree Gully Road |
| EASTLINK BP SERVICE CENTRE Under Construction |
39 | 27 | EASTLINK BP SERVICE CENTRE BP BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"... Under Construction |
| Mulgrave Mulgrave, Victoria Mulgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Mulgrave had a population of 16,280.... , Rowville Rowville, Victoria Rowville is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox. At the 2006 Census, Rowville had a population of 34,412.... Wellington Road  |
40 | 26 | Rowville Rowville, Victoria Rowville is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Knox. At the 2006 Census, Rowville had a population of 34,412.... , Mulgrave Mulgrave, Victoria Mulgrave is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Mulgrave had a population of 16,280.... Wellington Road |
| no exit | 42 | 24 | Dandenong North Dandenong North, Victoria Dandenong North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... , Springvale Springvale, Victoria Springvale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, approximately 20 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... Police Road  |
| Northbound exits | Distance to Melbourne via  (km) |
Distance to Frankston (km) |
Southbound exits |
| Springvale Springvale, Victoria Springvale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, approximately 20 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... , Dandenong North Dandenong North, Victoria Dandenong North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 29 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... Police Road |
29 | 23 | TOM WILLS INTERCHANGE Warragul Warragul, Victoria Warragul is a rural centre with a population of 12,943 people east-southeast of Melbourne in Victoria. Warragul lies between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Mount Baw Baw Plateau of the Great Dividing Range to the north... , Traralgon Traralgon, Victoria Traralgon is a regional city located in the Latrobe Valley in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Traralgon is a city within the City of Latrobe.... , Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... Monash Freeway Monash Freeway Monash Freeway is an urban freeway in Victoria, Australia linking Melbourne's CBD to its southeastern suburbs and the Gippsland region. The entire stretch of the Monash Freeway bears the designation...  |
| TOM WILLS INTERCHANGE Chadstone Chadstone, Victoria Chadstone is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. Landmarks include the Waverley Basketball Centre, Jordanville Community Centre and the Matthew Flinders Hotel... , Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... Monash Freeway Monash Freeway Monash Freeway is an urban freeway in Victoria, Australia linking Melbourne's CBD to its southeastern suburbs and the Gippsland region. The entire stretch of the Monash Freeway bears the designation... |
|||
| Oakleigh Oakleigh, Victoria Oakleigh is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and is located 14 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Oakleigh had a population of 6,876.... , Dandenong Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of... Princes Highway Princes Highway The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....  |
31 | 21 | Dandenong Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of... , Oakleigh Oakleigh, Victoria Oakleigh is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and is located 14 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Oakleigh had a population of 6,876.... Princes Highway Princes Highway The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway .... |
| GIPPSLAND RAIL LINE Orbost railway line The Orbost railway line is a railway serving the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland regions of Victoria, Australia... /Pakenham Pakenham, Victoria Pakenham is a satellite suburb of Melbourne on the edge of the West Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is Cardinia Shire. At the 2006 Census, Pakenham had a population of 19,644... and Cranbourne Cranbourne, Victoria Cranbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Cranbourne had a population of 14,750.... Rail Lines (Metro) |
33 | 19 | GIPPSLAND RAIL LINE Orbost railway line The Orbost railway line is a railway serving the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland regions of Victoria, Australia... /Pakenham Pakenham, Victoria Pakenham is a satellite suburb of Melbourne on the edge of the West Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is Cardinia Shire. At the 2006 Census, Pakenham had a population of 19,644... and Cranbourne Cranbourne, Victoria Cranbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Cranbourne had a population of 14,750.... Rail Lines (Metro) |
| no exit | 34 | 18 | Dandenong Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of... , Mentone Mentone, Victoria Mentone is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston... Cheltenham Road Route 10, Melbourne Route 10, also known as the Lower Dandenong State Highway is an 18 km stretch of continuous road in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.- Alternate names :...  |
| Keysborough Keysborough, Victoria Keysborough is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... , Dandenong Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of... Dandenong Bypass Dingley Freeway The Dingley Arterial is a partially completed arterial standard road which runs east to west through the southern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.... |
36 | 16 | Dandenong Dandenong, Victoria Dandenong is a suburb and major urban centre in metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 30 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Situated on Dandenong Creek and mostly flat land at the foothills of Mount Dandenong, it is the main administrative centre for the City of... , Keysborough Keysborough, Victoria Keysborough is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Dandenong... Dandenong Bypass Dingley Freeway The Dingley Arterial is a partially completed arterial standard road which runs east to west through the southern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia.... |
| Mordialloc Mordialloc, Victoria Mordialloc is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston... , Narre Warren Narre Warren, Victoria Narre Warren is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 42 km south east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Narre Warren had a population of 25,667. Narre Warren has a population density of over 2000 people per square... Greens Road  |
38 | 14 | Narre Warren Narre Warren, Victoria Narre Warren is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 42 km south east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Narre Warren had a population of 25,667. Narre Warren has a population density of over 2000 people per square... , Mordialloc Mordialloc, Victoria Mordialloc is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston... Greens Road |
| Carrum Carrum, Victoria Carrum is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston... , Cranbourne Cranbourne, Victoria Cranbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Cranbourne had a population of 14,750.... Thompson Road Thompsons Road, Melbourne Thompsons Road is a major urban arterial road in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Duplication Projects:Thompsons Road duplication, Carrum Downs...  |
44 | 8 | Cranbourne Cranbourne, Victoria Cranbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Cranbourne had a population of 14,750.... , Carrum Carrum, Victoria Carrum is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston... Thompson Road Thompsons Road, Melbourne Thompsons Road is a major urban arterial road in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Duplication Projects:Thompsons Road duplication, Carrum Downs... |
| Start EastLink continues from Frankston Freeway Frankston Freeway Frankston Freeway is a very short stretch of Melbourne freeway that was designed to upgrade Wells Road to freeway standard in the 1970s and provides a link from suburban Melbourne to Frankston...  |
47 | 5 | Flinders Flinders, Victoria Flinders is a historic town south of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located on the Mornington Peninsula at the point where Western Port meets Bass Strait. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula... , Portsea Portsea, Victoria Portsea is a resort town located across Port Phillip from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.... Peninsula Link Under Construction |
| Carrum Downs Carrum Downs, Victoria Carrum Downs is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 34 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Frankston. At the 2006 Census, Carrum Downs had a population of 17,213.... , Cranbourne Cranbourne, Victoria Cranbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Cranbourne had a population of 14,750.... Rutherford Road |
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| End EastLink continues as Frankston Freeway Frankston Freeway Frankston Freeway is a very short stretch of Melbourne freeway that was designed to upgrade Wells Road to freeway standard in the 1970s and provides a link from suburban Melbourne to Frankston... to Frankston Frankston, Victoria Frankston is a suburb within the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area in Victoria, Australia. It is located 40 km southeast of the state capital Melbourne at the southernmost edge of Greater Melbourne, near the beginnings of the Mornington Peninsula... / Portsea Portsea, Victoria Portsea is a resort town located across Port Phillip from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.... |
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Dandenong Bypass
A 4.8 km section of the Dingley FreewayDingley Freeway
The Dingley Arterial is a partially completed arterial standard road which runs east to west through the southern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia....
called the Dandenong Bypass (also referred to as the Dandenong Southern Bypass during its construction) was built by ConnectEast and Thiess John Holland as part of the EastLink project. The bypass opened on 9 December 2007.
Tolling
EastLink is electronically tolled via a system commercially called Breeze, entirely provided by SICE, Spanish system integrator company with broad experience in the tolling market. This system is fully interoperable with all other tollways in Australia, including the TransurbanTransurban
Transurban is an international toll road developer and manager with interests in Australia and North America. In Australia, Transurban has a stake in five out of Sydney’s nine motorways, and in Melbourne it is the full owner of CityLink, which connects three of the city’s major freeways...
e-TAG
E-TAG
e-TAG is an electronic toll collection system used on tollways throughout Australia. Based upon the DSRC protocol, it was originally developed by Transurban for use on their CityLink tollway in the early 1990s, with the system since adopted by all electronic tolled roads, bridges and tunnels in...
system used on CityLink.
The system features a uniquely designed electronic vehicle tag, the "Breeze Tag", which is about half the size of the standard design of e-TAG. The Breeze system is provided by Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
company SICE, with the Road Side Equipment, including the Breeze Tags, provided by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
firm Kapsch TrafficCom AB, under the PREMID brand of DSRC products.
Tolls on EastLink can be charged in three different ways:
- By having any Australian electronic tolling "tag" (such as a Breeze Tag, or Transurban's e-TAG) in the vehicle. Tolls are charged to the corresponding tag account.
- By registering a Breeze non-tag account with ConnectEast. A photograph of the number plate(s) of each vehicle is taken and matched to an account, charging the account holder the toll plus a small processing fee (23c, waived for motorcycles). Alternatively, "Access" accounts registered with CityLink may also be used in this manner.
- By purchasing a "trip pass" valid for a single one-way trip on EastLink from ConnectEast either over the telephone, via the EastLink website, or from a retail outlet. Vehicle recognition for trip passes is done the same way as for non-tag accounts. Drivers can purchase multiple trip passes at once, as passes are stored until used. However, trip passes expire six months from the date of purchase.
If a driver travels on EastLink without taking any of the three actions above to pay for the toll(s) either prior to, or within three days after travel, an invoice for cost of the toll(s) plus an account processing fee will be sent to the registered vehicle's owner. If the toll invoice is not paid, an overdue notice (with an additional processing fee) is issued. If the invoice is still not paid, a fine is issued by Victoria Police.
Prices and discounts
Prices for the use of the tollway vary between sections. For cars, a one way trip between two consecutive interchanges starts from 34c for sections between Maroondah HighwayMaroondah Highway
Maroondah Highway , is a major east-west thoroughfare in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and a highway servicing the lower alpine region Victoria, Australia.-History:...
and High Street Road, slightly more for the longer sections near the south of the tollway, right up to a one way trip through the tunnel section between Maroondah Highway / Ringwood Bypass
Ringwood Bypass
The Ringwood Bypass is a short stretch of road extending from EastLink to Maroondah Highway in Melbourne, Australia. It allows the Maroondah Highway to bypass the main shopping centre in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Ringwood....
and Springvale Road which costs $2.37. Lower rates apply to motorcycles while higher rates apply for some four wheel drives, some utility vehicles, buses and trucks.
Discounts are also offered to car drivers. A 20 per cent discount applies to the cost of any trip(s) taken on a Saturday or Sunday and also to one way trips between two consecutive interchanges (excluding the tunnels) on weekdays. At any time, cars will not be charged more than $5.15 for a one way trip on EastLink.
Traffic impact on surrounding roads
Whilst the construction of Eastlink alleviated congestion on Springvale Road, it has had the effect of funnelling the traffic onto other roads, particularly increasing traffic on the Eastern Freeway. Many local councils, organisation, community groups and individuals expressed concerns throughout the proposal and construction phases, over the alterations to traffic patterns and flows and how Eastlink would impact upon local roads in their respective areas. In 2009, the City of ManninghamCity of Manningham
The City of Manningham is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the northeastern suburbs of Melbourne. The total population is 118,544 , divided up into 10 suburbs, the largest being Doncaster and Templestowe, over an area of 113 square kilometres.The district spans a...
was able to conduct a traffic report which found that:
- Traffic on the Eastern Freeway increased "significantly"
- Travel times in peak and off-peak periods at the Eastern Freeway/Hoddle Street interchange had increased "significantly"
- Peak hour congestion at the Eastern Freeway/Bulleen Road interchange had increased.
- 20% decrease in traffic at the Springvale Road outbound offramp.
- 13% increase in traffic on Bulleen Road north of the Eastern Freeway.
- 13% decrease in traffic on Park Road, between Heads & Mitcham Roads.
- 11% decrease in traffic on Doncaster Road, west of Middleborough Road.
- 8% increase in traffic on Fitzsimmons Lane, north of Porter Street.
- 2% increase in traffic on Manningham Road.
- 2% decrease in traffic on Reynolds Road, between Blackburn Road and Springvale Road.
Another study conducted by Banyule Council showed that, since EastLink opened in June 2008, 800 more trucks a day use main roads in Heidelberg and Rosanna.
In general, it appears as though Eastlink has funnelled large amounts of traffic onto the Eastern Freeway and has attracted an increase in commuters using arterial roads in local areas. Decreases appear to be on small stretches of local roads where Eastlink provides a quicker alternative.
Shared path
The EastLink TrailEastLink Trail
The EastLink Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the EastLink tollway for most of its length from Ringwood to Dandenong, in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.-Following the path:...
is a shared walking and cycle path that follows a similar North/South route to the EastLink project. Using it, cyclists and pedestrians are able to cycle or walk most of the distance of the road, along a 3 metre wide dedicated concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
path. Many major roads are crossed via under or over passes. Some roads, such as High Street Road (and until November 2009, Burwood Highway), require crossing the road at grade
At-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
.
In wet weather, two underpasses are not trafficable as they have been built on floodways. These are the Ferntree Gully Road underpass and the Wellington Road underpass. After a medium amount of rain the underpasses flood and trail users must cross over the major roads to continue along the path. This can prove dangerous and during peak traffic times, trail users are known to have waited up to 20 minutes to safely cross the roads when the underpasses have flooded.
The Eastlink trail stops in Dandenong and does not continue. Users may take the Dandenong Creek Trail from this point which will take them to Carrum. From there, Frankston is approximately 10 km away.
For those using the trail, substantial deviations from Eastlnk must be taken into account in travel times as the shared path does not follow the freeway in many cases as existing trails were joined up to the trails specifically built during the construction of the road. This has led to some very twisty sections of trail and in some cases, detours of over 3 km from the Eastlink.
Accidents
On 18 February 2010, at 3.15pm, a semi-trailer lost control on the north-bound side of the tollway, 300m from the Wellington Rd exit. The truck crossed the road and crashed through the median safety barrier, before crashing into a large pylon holding up a road sign gantry. The truck exploded into flames and the driver was killed. The tollway was closed in both directions, the first time since the road opened, between the Monash Freeway and Ferntree Gully Road. It remained closed until the early hours of the following morning so police could conduct an investigation and ConnectEast could carry out repairs to make the road safe to reopen. The police report is yet to be finalised.Controversies
- The most notable controversy surrounding this project has been the issue of tolls. The Victorian Government, led by Steve BracksSteve BracksStephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
, initially planned not to build the road, instead promising to invest in public transport. Though the government reversed their policy position and decided to go ahead with the road instead. They gave an undertaking that the road would be toll free, a promise on which they later reneged. This led to a total withdrawal of what had been partial federal funding of the project. This policy change has caused much debate, discussion and resentment in some quarters. The Victorian Government's position is that project was not viable without tolls.
- The Federal government withdrawal of funding was based on the premise that funding was only available for the road if the road was toll free. However, at the same time, they were also funding a tolled freeway in SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, the WestlinkWestlink M7Westlink M7 - formerly Western Sydney Orbital - is one of Sydney, Australia's urban motorways and a part of Metroad 7 and the Sydney Orbital Network. It connects three Metroads: M5 at Prestons, M4 at Eastern Creek and M2 at Baulkham Hills...
motorway. This led to the controversial belief in some quarters that the funding withdrawal was solely designed to discredit the Victorian Government, rather than being driven by a reluctance to fund toll roads.
- The then Victorian State opposition, led by Robert DoyleRobert DoyleRobert Keith Bennett Doyle is an Australian politician and the 103rd Lord Mayor of Melbourne, elected on 30 November 2008...
, initially opposed any form of tolling on the road. Subsequently this policy was changed to support tolls. After the 2010 state election, the state leadership led by Liberal leader Ted BaillieuTed BaillieuEdward Norman "Ted" Baillieu MLA is an Australian politician. He is currently the Premier of Victoria and the member for the Legislative Assembly seat of Hawthorn...
continues to support tolls.
- A court case was heard, where the plaintiffs argued that constructing EastLink would result in pressure to build the "missing link" between EastLink and the Metropolitan Ring Road. They claimed that such a freeway would damage the environmentally sensitive green wedges through either Eltham and Warrandyte or Heidelberg and the Yarra Flats. Indeed, as at October 2008 (months after the opening of EastLink) there is mounting pressure to build this "missing link".
- During the planning stages of the project, businesses in the Rutherford Road industrial area (located at the Southern terminus of the freeway) wanted access via on/off ramps to the Mornington Peninsula FreewayMornington Peninsula FreewayMornington Peninsula Freeway is an incomplete freeway in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, that provides a link from outer suburban Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula.- History :...
and Frankston Freeway, in addition to EastLink. Prior to this project they had an off ramp only from the Mornington Peninsula Freeway into the industrial area. Under Eastlink, this will be retained, but no onramps will be built onto these existing roads. The Mornington Peninsula Freeway, and the Frankston Freeway, despite being on their doorstep will be inaccessible. The only onramp from Rutherford Road will be onto EastLink, Northbound.
- Although there is speculation that existing public roads will be restricted to increase traffic on Eastlink http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/State-could-make-money-by-forcing-cars-on-to-tollway/2005/05/05/1115092625279.html, there is legislation in place prohibiting the restriction of traffic http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/epa2004184/s140.html, and SEITA has stated that "Importantly, the State Government has passed legislation to maintain the existing capacity on arterial roads. The EastLink Act and the contract between the State of Victoria and ConnectEast prohibits closing or narrowing any existing roads in an attempt to force people onto EastLink." http://seita.com.au/pages/rosetta-download.asp?size=3102&file=EastLink_Project_Overview.pdf
- On 28 August 2006, due to the late completion of bridge preparation works on the Belgrave and Lilydale railway line, the line was closed for the morning with inadequate warning to commuters of the closure of the line between BlackburnBlackburn railway station, MelbourneBlackburn is a railway station on the Lilydale and Belgrave railway lines in Melbourne, Australia. It is located between Railway Road and South Parade in Blackburn, about west of Blackburn Road. The station is 17.4 kilometres by rail from Flinders Street Station...
and RingwoodRingwood railway station, MelbourneRingwood is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Ringwood, on the Lilydale and Belgrave railway lines. It is in Metcard Zone 2, is classed as a Premium Station, and is the junction for the Belgrave & Lilydale lines....
stations causing chaos at Ringwood where lengthy queues formed for the replacement buses. Passengers at Heatherdale, MitchamMitcham railway station, MelbourneMitcham is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Mitcham, on the Lilydale and Belgrave railway lines. Mitcham is classed as a Premium Station and is in Metcard Zone 2.-Facilities:...
and Nunawading stations were stranded because of the mess where the delay was caused by the portable crane "Snow White" being unable to operate near the rail line where bridge supports are being constructed. The ground was too soft for the crane and gravel had to be ordered in causing the delay. Theiss John Holland has to pay penalties to Connex MelbourneConnex MelbourneConnex Melbourne was a wholly owned subsidiary of French company Veolia Environnement, which had a franchise from the State Government of Victoria to operate all suburban passenger rail services in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. In August 2007, Connex's contract was extended to 30 November 2009....
while commuters will not be reimbursed. It is interesting to note that some of the more willing commuters set about the one hour walk to Blackburn. Those individuals managed to arrive well before other commuters that had been caught in the confusion at Ringwood, by an hour or more.
- Finally, many in the local area at the Southern end of EastLink argue that EastLink will in fact funnel much more traffic onto the Frankston Freeway, which will only aggravate the existing congestion at the Frankston Freeway terminus; at the corner of McMahons Road and Cranbourne Road, and that a Frankston BypassFrankston BypassPeninsula Link ' is a freeway under construction that will complete the missing sections of the Mornington Peninsula Freeway, running from the EastLink interchange at Seaford, Melbourne, running along the eastern fringe of Frankston...
is necessary to complete the missing link in the currently split Mornington Peninsula Freeway. This has received much attention in local Frankston newspapers. VicRoads argue that their research indicates no such congestion will occur. The Frankston Bypass route has long been marked in the MelwayMelwayMelway is an almost ubiquitous street directory for Melbourne, Australia and its immediate surrounds, including the city of Geelong. It is currently in its 39th edition—the 2012 edition—which was released in July 2011.-History:Melway was conceived by Merv Godfrey and Iven Mackay in the 1950s...
street directory. Former Victorian Transport Minister Peter BatchelorPeter BatchelorPeter Batchelor was an Australian politician before retiring at the Victorian State Election on 27 November 2010. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1990, representing the electorate of Thomastown. He served most recently as Minister for Energy and...
has in the past said that "just because a future freeway appears in the Melway, does not mean that the road is planned or will ever actually be built". Frankston Council has been in talks with EastLink, with a view to getting the bypass built from EastLink to as far as Cranbourne Road. In addition, the local MP for the Federal seat of DunkleyDivision of DunkleyThe Division of Dunkley is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Louisa Margaret Dunkley, a trade unionist and campaigner for equal pay for women. It is located in...
, Bruce BillsonBruce BillsonBruce Frederick Billson MP is an Australian politician and Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since 1996. He represents the Division of Dunkley, Victoria....
, is also working with local councils with a view to applying pressure on the state government for the Frankston Bypass to be built. The government in 2010 signed off on a contract for the construction of Peninsula Link.
Environmental issues
Many environmental groups in Melbourne's east and south-east objected to the project, due to a number of factors, including vehicle emissions and disruption of habitat (in places such as the Mullum Mullum Valley and Dandenong Valley Wetlands). However, the road was the subject of an extensive Environmental Effects Statement (June 1998), which was followed by an extensive public hearing process in April 1999 before the final Government decision to proceed. The statement predicted an 18.5per cent increase in carbon dioxide, impacts on groundwater and wetlands, high impacts on areas of conservation value and the potential to affect 38 species of rare or threatened fauna and flora if the freeway was built.According to EastLink's builders, the road will relieve traffic congestion throughout Melbourne's eastern and south-eastern suburbs, resulting in more efficient traffic flow, therefore reducing fuel consumption and exhaust output.
During the planning phase (then a VicRoads
VicRoads
VicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...
project), a large debate surrounding damage to the Mullum Mullum Valley occurred. A number of options for the path of the road through the valley were considered. The option chosen - for two 1.6 km tunnels - was the second-to-most expensive, and the second-to-most environmentally friendly. Other options considered in planning included a surface road for the entire length, much shorter tunnels, and slightly longer tunnels.
However, despite the attention on tunneling beneath the Mullum Mullum Gorge, the Ringwood Interchange is entirely above-ground and has resulted in relocation of the creek through this area.
See also
- Freeways in AustraliaFreeways in AustraliaThis is a list of freeways and motorways in Australia, sorted by states and territories and their corresponding routes. This list includes toll roads such as the CityLink freeway system in Melbourne. This list has over 70 entries...
- Freeways in Melbourne
External links
- EastLink official website (run by ConnectEast)
- ConnectEast (the developer of EastLink)
- The Southern and Eastern Integrated Transport Authority (EastLink information)
- SICE (the main contractor for the free-flow tolling system project)
Other links
- EastLink Flyover - a video clip from heraldsun.com.au showing aerial footage of the EastLink route
- ABC Online Report on project groundbreaking
- Justice Gray's ruling on the likelihood of the Scoresby Freeway being a catalyst for further freeway building in environmentally sensitive areas