North East Link

The North East Link is a freeway planned to run through Melbourne's north eastern suburbs. It was first proposed in the 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan (as part of the F7 and/or F18 corridors), and is designed to provide a road connection between the Metropolitan Ring Road in Greensborough and the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen Flats or the EastLink junction in Ringwood. It was included in the Brumby government's 2008 Victorian Transport Plan, with an estimated cost of over A$6 billion. No governments since then have made action on the project.

The North East Link freeway would be designated as Route Number M80 (as per the existing Metropolitan Ring Road).

Route

The North East Link – often marketed as the ‘missing link’ in Melbourne’s ring road network – will provide an additional major Yarra River crossing for Melbourne.

Three proposed routes for the North East Link were identified by consultation report prepared by GHD Consulting for the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Route 1: An eastern option from the Metropolitan Ring Rd to EastLink via Kangaroo Ground and Chirnside Park.

Route 2: A central option from the Metropolitan Ring Rd to EastLink via Eltham and Warrandyte.

Route 3: A western option from the Metropolitan Ring Rd to Eastern Freeway at Bulleen via Watsonia.

Controversially Route 3 was selected as the preferred route. The link proposes a combination of above-ground roadway and tunnel between Lower Plenty Road and the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen Road which will traverse the Banyule Flats and Yarra River.^[1] Two tunnel proposals have been provided citing selection based on budgetary input. A shorter tunnel from Lower Plenty Rd to Bulleen Rd exiting near the Heide museum and a longer tunnel from Lower Plenty Rd through to the Eastern Freeway. However the final details of the route are yet to be completed and further detailed engineering investigations and community consultation will be undertaken before finalising a route alignment and design for the road connection.

This project was submitted to the federal Government of Australia for funding consideration.

Criticism of Route 3

The current preferred route links the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough to EastLink via the Eastern Freeway and Mullum Mullum tunnel. Previously proposed routes connecting Greensborough to Ringwood, east of the Mullum Mullum tunnel avoid this problem.
The current preferred route has the Eastern freeway carrying both circumferential ring road traffic plus city bound radial traffic. During peak hours this additional traffic will effectively further reduce the capacity of the Eastern Freeway section of the ring road. Previously proposed routes connecting Greensborough to Ringwood avoid this problem.
The current route may physically divide the local community and result in local residents having difficulty in accessing public services and amenities such as schools, shops and transport.
The interchange at Bulleen Road may be a complex tunnel/fly-over arrangement requiring land acquisitions from the adjacent Freeway Golf Course and tennis centre significantly diminishing the local amenity.
The proposed route may impact the proposed Doncaster railway line, Melbourne along the Eastern Freeway.
The route options assessment listed in the "North East Link Infrastructure Australia Proposal to Commonwealth of Australia" (obtained via Freedom of Information) contains no quantitative data supporting the economical costings when comparing routes.^[2]
The project will require a trade-off between environmental and sustainability objectives, compared with increased road traffic.
The Banyule Flats, the Warringal Parklands and the Yarra Corridor (the areas to be affected by the proposed freeway, tunnel or viaduct) are one of the last unaltered natural areas in the inner North East and are extensively used for recreation. The Banyule City Council recently tabled a proposal to have the Banyule Flats, the Warringal Parklands and the Yarra Corridor made into a Heritage listed area.

Proposed benefits

North East Link would complete Melbourne's Metropolitan Ring Road project and is estimated to carry around 100,000 vehicles a day, providing non-stop movement and easier access for freight operators, particularly between the growing industrial areas around Ringwood, Dandenong, Campbellfield and the new freight-hub near Donnybrook.

With Melbourne’s north expected to be home to around one million people in 2026, it is posited that the North East Link will reduce reliance on Fitzsimons Lane, Heidelberg Road and Rosanna Road, and enhance road access to Melbourne Airport as well as popular regional and interstate destinations.

Politics

In 2002, prior to the state election, Transport Minister Peter Batchelor and local ALP state member Craig Langdon promised to Banyule Town Hall that the North East Link would not be built.^[3]
The proposed freeway was a major factor in the resignation of the local MP for Ivanhoe. On 25 August 2010, Ivanhoe Labor MP Craig Langdon resigned from state politics stating: "My resignation also enables me to maintain a long-held commitment to the electorate, which was to resign from the government if I believed it was likely to build a freeway through Viewbank, Heidelberg and the Banyule Flats. Unfortunately, it appears that this could now be the case".^[4]

Current Political Policies:

Labor party candidate for Ivanhoe, Anthony Carbines advised that he supported the tunnel option but not an above-ground freeway. "there will not be an above ground freeway". Many people in the crowd took issue with this, saying that such a project could easily degenerate into an above-ground freeway for part or all of the route due to budgeting constraints as evidence in previous projects such as the Footscray rail tunnel.
Liberal party candidate for Ivanhoe, Carl Ziebell states that the Liberal party does not support the freeway without an economical, environmental and social impact statements. In essence the party would not commit to a freeway or tunnel and that both options were 'off the table' until more investigation was done. No firm commitments could be given either way.
Greens party candidate for Ivanhoe, Paul Kennedy is against the proposed freeway route and is in favour of stopping trucks via curfews on Rosanna road, duplicate the Husrtbridge rail line to increase train frequency and increase smartBus standards for the Banyule area.^[5]

Timeline

Date	Event
2002	Minister for Transport Labor MP Peter Bachelor and Ivanhoe Labor MP Craig Langdon promise local community at Heidelberg town hall that the North East Freeway would not be built.
2007	Eddington Report Released, suggesting development of North East link
September 2008	GHD release North East link Assessment proposal
8 December 2008	Minister for Roads and Ports, Labor MP Tim Pallas, announces plans for North East link^[6]
10 August 2010	Banyule Council contacts Tim Pallas, expressing its disappointment in what appears to be a lack of transparency in the planning process for the North East Link and requests: Briefing of all options for the North-East Link and any costings and cost benefit analysis. VicRoads to advise of any new proposals that may be developed for the construction of this link. Confirmation if a surface link has been considered and any costings for that link. Confirmation as to whether a surface link is in VicRoads view still a valid option. VicRoads to undertake full public consultation.^[7]
24 August 2010	Ivanhoe Labor MP Craig Langdon resigns, urging referendum on Transport Plan.
6 September 2010	Tim Pallas replies to Banyule council advising; VicRoads' planning for the North East Link is at a preliminary stage and detailed planning is still some way off. Once the preliminary stage is complete VicRoads will consult Banyule city council and their residents. The North East link expected to involve a tunnel between Lower Plenty Road and the Eastern Freeway to protect existing suburban areas and to minimise impacts on the Banyule Flats and avoid the Heidi Museum.^[7]
6 October 2010	North East Link freeway public meeting held at The Centre in Ivanhoe
23 November 2010	Ex-Labor MP Craig Langdon letter boxes thousands of residents of Rosanna, Heidelberg and Ivanhoe with flyer titled "No freeway through Banyule" criticising Anthony Carbines who was preselected as his successor.
24 November 2010	Labor announce costing for the proposal of planning, investigative, and environmental assessment activities for the North East Link at $15.4M. Scheduled to commence in 2012‐13.^[8]
27 November 2010	ALP MP Anthony Carbines wins seat of Ivanhoe with 36% of primary vote and 51% of preferred vote.^[9] The Baillieu Coalition government wins state election with no firm commitment to the North East Link.^[10]
9 March 2011	At the Metropolitan Transport Forum Liberal MP Terry Mulder states that the new Victorian government would continue to pursue funding for the NE link despite not receiving any funding from the federal government’s advisory body Infrastructure Australia.^[11]
11 May 2011	Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Edward O'Donohue states that NE Link is not part of the new Government's agenda but will be considered in the broader Metropolitan Planning Review which includes all aspects of planning across Melbourne including transport.^[12]
14 August 2013	Roads Minister Terry Mulder's spokeswoman, Larissa Garvin, states that investigation will continue and that "tunneling will be required to protect existing urban areas and to minimise environmental impact on the Banyule Flats and Yarra River, with further planning work still needed."^[13]

Current Status

In 2014, the Victorian Labor Party, then in opposition, ruled out building the North East Link due to other priorities. Since the party took power, construction of the link is unlikely in the near future. But like the now defunct East West Link, it still remains apart of long-term state road planning.

References

External links

Road infrastructure in Melbourne

Tollways	CityLink (Transurban) EastLink (ConnectEast)

Freeways	Airport Drive Calder Freeway Eastern Freeway Frankston Freeway Hume Freeway Metropolitan Ring Road Monash Freeway Mornington Peninsula Freeway Peninsula Link Princes Freeway South Gippsland Freeway Tullamarine Freeway West Gate Freeway Western Freeway Western Ring Road

Highways	Ballarat Road Bell Street Bulleen Road Burwood Highway Chandler Highway Dandenong Road Dandenong Valley Highway Eastern Highway Flemington Road Geelong Road Greensborough Highway Hoddle Highway Maroondah Highway Melton Highway Moorooduc Highway Mountain Highway Nepean Highway Plenty Valley Highway Springvale Road St Kilda Road Sydney Road Warrigal Road Westall Road Western Port Highway Whitehorse Road

Bypasses	Dandenong Bypass Ringwood Bypass Westall Road (Springvale Bypass)

Bridges and tunnels	Bolte Bridge Burnley Tunnel Domain Tunnel Melba Tunnel Mullum Mullum Tunnel West Gate Bridge

Proposals	1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan East West Link Western Distributor West Gate Distributor Outer Ring Road Dingley Arterial Healesville Freeway Mornington Peninsula Freeway North East Link

Streets in Melbourne Highways in Melbourne VicRoads Transport in Melbourne

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