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Statistics:

• Length: 62 km
• Western Terminus: Alexandra Pde (Eastern Hwy) (MR83) and Gold St, Collingwood
• Southern Terminus:Moorooduc Hwy (C777) and Cranbourne Rd (MR4 / TD12) at Frankston
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Collingwood, Alphington, Kew, Balwyn North, Doncaster, Box Hill, Blackburn North, Nunawading, Doncaster, Donvale, Mitcham, Ringwood, Wantirna, Wantirna South, Glen Waverley, Noble Park, Dandenong, Bangholme, Carrum Downs, Seaford and Frankston

Route Numbering:

• Current: M3

• Former:
• Road Authority Internal Classification: 1600 (Frankston Freeway), 1830 (Eastern Fwy) 1 & 1996 (Eastlink)

General Information:

M3 is a motorway standard route in Melbourne's eastern and south eastern suburbs, linking the Melbourne CBD with the Mornington Peninsula. The Eastern Freeway is untolled, however the Eastlink section of M3, from Nunawading to Seaford uses an electronic distance based tolling system.

Eastern Freeway:

The Eastern Freeway was originally meant to receive the F19 route number. 2

In the 1970s when the Eastern Freeway was built, the design included provision for rail. Some tunnelling construction work was, in fact, started in the 1970s, near Hoddle Street. Overpasses were also built to cater for rail. 3

Eastlink:

Eastlink is made up of the Eastern Freeway Extension, Ringwood Bypass and Scoresby Freeway. 4

The Eastlink section of the route features 17 interchanges and also twin tunnels at Donvale / Ringwood, under the Mullum Mullum valley - the Melba Tunnel and the Mullum Mullum Tunnel. Each tunnel is 1.6km long, contain three lanes that are 3.5m wide with a height clearance for vehicles of 4.65m. The tunnels have a gradient of up to 5.5% and are located up to 53m from surface level. 5

The route also features 3 traffic lanes in each direction for 33km from the Eastern Freeway to Thompson Road at Carrum Downs, and also has 103 structures, including 88 bridges. 6

History:

• 1960s: Planning for Eastern Fwy and Scoresby Fwy (later Eastlink). Country Roads Board builds Wells Road Bypass. 7
• 1970s: Wells Road Bypass duplicated and upgraded and Frankston Fwy built.
• 1970s: Construction begins on Eastern Freeway. 8
• 1984: Eastern Fwy extended from Templestowe to Doncaster Rd in Doncaster. 7
• October 1995: Work on the Eastern Freeway from Bulleen Road to Doncaster Road commences. 9
• February 1996: Work on the Eastern Freeway from Doncaster Road to Springvale Road commences. 9
• September 1997: Eastern Freeway from Bulleen Road to Doncaster Road extension completed. 9
• December 1997: Extension of the Eastern Freeway from Doncaster Road to Springvale Road was completed, and was was opened by the then Premier, Jeff Kennett. 10
• May 4, 1999: Funding allocated for the Eastern Freeway extension from Springvale Road to Ringwood. 11
• February 2000: Construction commences on Mitcham Road (MR36) bridge at Donvale. 12
• 13 October 2000: The then Premier, Steve Bracks announced a $326 million extension of the Eastern Freeway, from Springvale Road to Ringwood, which features a 1.5 km tunnel in the Mullum Mullum valley. 13
• 22 February 2001: Mitcham Road (MR36) bridge opens to traffic. 12
• 26 March 2002: Official opening of the Park Road bridge in Donvale. 14
• 23 September 2002: The Bracks Government announced that it would amalgamate the Scoresby Freeway project with the Eastern Freeway Tunnels project. The combined project, was to be known as the Mitcham-Frankston Freeway. 15
• 14 April 2003: Government announces that the Mitcham-Frankston Fwy (now Eastlink) will be tolled. 16
• October 2004; The tender for construction of the project was awarded to ConnectEast. 4
• November 2004: Construction commences on Eastlink. 4
• 29 June 2008: Eastlink opens to traffic. 4
• 26 July 2008: Tolling comes into effect on Eastlink, with no tolling along EastLink between the Ringwood Bypass and Maroondah Highway. 4
• June 2008: MR83 replaced with M3 along Eastern Fwy, M3 introduced for the first time on what was the newly opened Eastlink.

1 VicRoads Road Management Plan, 30 October 2004
2 Picture Victoria, 1970s Anti-freeway protest
3 Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission, Inquiry Into Managing Transport Congestion
4 Maroondah City Council, Developing Maroondah, EastLink
5 Eastlink, Motorway Info
6 Linking Melbourne Authority: Projects, Eastlink, Facts & Figures
7 Tim Cole
8 Picture Australia, 1970s Freeway construction
9 Victorian Auditor General's Office, Road construction in Victoria: Major projects managed by VicRoads
10 Department of Infrastructure, Annual Report 1997-98
11 Office of the Minister for Roads and Ports, Media Release, $255 Million to Extend Eastern Freeway to Ringwood, $175 Million for new Hallam Bypass, 4 May 1999
12 Minister of Transport, Media Release, First Eastern Freeway Milestone is Reached, 22 February 2001
13 The Office of the Premier, Media Release, Premier Announces $326m Eastern Fwy Extension, 13 October 2000
14 Minister of Transport, Media Release, Park Road Bridge Over Eastern Freeway Extension Opened to Traffic, 26 March 2002
15 Minister of Transport, Media Release, Bracks Government Announces Mitcham-Frankston Freeway Project, 23 September 2002
16 The Office of the Premier, Media Release, Mitcham-Frankston Freeway Must Be Tolled: Premier, 14 April 2003

Last updated: 14-Feb-2019 21:08

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