$11.1 Billion North-East Link Project Given Green Light

The Spark Consortium has been awarded a contract that aims to revolutionise Melbourne’s traffic flow. The Victorian Government has given the green light to the tunnel project, which states that the Consortium will invest $11.1 billion into building and maintaining a North-East traffic tunnel.

The new road consists of 2 6.5km tunnels and will connect the M80 Ring Road in Greensborough to the Eastern Freeway. Enabling commuters to connect to Melbourne suburbs without travelling through the city, the project will also reduce traffic flow by redirecting 15,000 trucks off local roads.

Parklands and community spaces will also be spearheaded as part of the project, including a new cultural precinct along Birrarung, between Bulleen and the Koonung Creek Trail.

Wetlands, of importance to the Wurundjeri people, will also be re-established in a new cultural space, with efforts in conserving the treasured Australian landscape. Community spaces in Watsonia and a 10-hectare community park in Yallambie are both part of the project’s aim to greenify community spaces.

The road and tunnel construction will create 8,000 industry jobs, with another 2,000 jobs fuelling the economy as part of the community parkland architecture.