The North East Link (NEL) is Victoria’s largest road project and represents the ‘missing link’ in Melbourne’s transport network. The project will connect the M80 with the Eastern Freeway linking key growth areas in the north and south-east. It includes upgrades to the Eastern Freeway, a dedicated Doncaster Busway, more than 25 kilometres of new and upgraded cycling and walking paths, and improvements to community facilities including local sports grounds.

The $11.1 billion major works contract will be delivered in an Australian first four-partner public-private-partnership with an incentivised target cost (ITC) – a fundamentally more collaborative contract where risk and reward are shared. The scope of the PPP includes:

– 6.5km tunnels to Watsonia

– Interchanges at Lower Plenty Road and Manningham Road

– 5 MCGs of parklands along Banyule Creek at Borlase Reserve

– 2km tree-lined boulevard for Greensborough Road

– 2 hectare Yarra Link green bridge over Bulleen Road

– 3 new wetlands along the Yarra River and Koonung Creek in Bulleen and Balwyn North

– The construction and commissioning of the twin, three lane, and 6.5 kilometre tunnels

– The long-term operation and maintenance of the entire North East Link corridor over a 25-year contract

Construction begun in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2028, alongside other North East Link packages.

The Legacy Way Tunnel, formerly known as the Northern Link Tunnel, is a major infrastructure project located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

It serves as a key arterial link, significantly reducing travel time between the western suburbs and the inner city.

The tunnel connects the Western Freeway at Toowong with the Inner City Bypass at Kelvin Grove, spanning approximately 4.6 kilometres.

The Airport Link & Northern Busway (APL) is a 6.7km twin tunnel in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, connecting the CLEM7 and Legacy Way tunnels (via an inner city bypass) to the Brisbane Airport and Australian Trade Coast Precinct.

The project consisted of complex tunnelling works including TBM and roadheader tunnels, with permanent concrete lining throughout. The scope of works also included the construction of tunnel portals with transitions to the surface road network.

The M7 Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7), formerly known as the North-South Bypass Tunnel (NSBT), is a 6.8km twin-lane tunnel beneath the Brisbane River, completed in 2010 to reduce congestion and improve connectivity between Brisbane’s northern and southern suburbs.

Constructed using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) and roadheaders, it reaches a depth of 60 meters and features advanced ventilation and safety systems.

City Rail Link is New Zealand’s largest ever transport infrastructure project, aiming to greatly improve connectivity of the Auckland rail network and allowing it to almost quadruple its capacity.

It includes twin 3.5km rail tunnels underneath Auckland’s CBD, with two new underground stations and the redevelopment of two existing stations. A combination of cut-and-cover, TBM, and mined tunnelling techniques were used.

Link Alliance Project Website