The new EastLink Tollway forms a part of Melbourne’s emerging ring road system, linking Melbourne’s inner east, via the Eastern Freeway, to bayside Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula Freeway.

Tract was involved as Landscape Architects and Urban Designers over a 5 year period from the inception of the project to construction completion.

The EastLink alignment passes through 5 local government areas, 11 major environmental vegetation communities, 15 landscape character types and represents one of Australia’s largest infrastructure construction projects.

The project included the construction of 45km of freeway (39km of tollway), twin 1.6km, 3 lane tunnels, 90 bridges, 70 wetlands, 3 rail crossings, approx. 4 million plantings and over 35km of new cycle and walking tracks.

The urban and landscape design philosophy for EastLink extends the themes developed for the Eastern Freeway, creating an identifiable and memorable visual character for road users and residents through continuous design forms, while also responding to the unique characteristics of the natural and cultural landscape. EastLink provides a benchmark in contemporary design standards for infrastructure design.

Eastlink opened in spectacular fashion in June 2008 with a huge cycle, run and walk event in which 150,000 people participated.