Elevated Roads

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Melbourne Airport is addressing growing traffic congestion through the construction of an elevated loop road network, which will separate public traffic from commercial transport operators.

The two-stage project will create a more streamlined exit from the Tullamarine Freeway to all terminals meaning travellers will no longer need to navigate roundabouts and busy intersections to make their way to the pick-up, drop-off and parking areas.

Stage 1 of this project was approved by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development in 2019.


The airport has now completed the Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan (MDP) for stage 2 , which is on public exhibition for people to review and provide comment and feedback on. You can view the MDP in the document library on the right of this page.


The project will target critical congestion points on the network leading into the airport, in particular Departure Drive, and the intersection of Centre Road and Terminal Drive.

The following key segments of the network will be progressively delivered.

Stage 1 – T4 Express Link

A new, direct connection from the Tullamarine Freeway into the T4 ground transport hub. This stage of the project will create a more streamlined exit from the Tullamarine Freeway catering mostly to T4 domestic travellers who will no longer need to navigate around a number of roundabouts and busy intersections to make their way to the pick-up, drop-off and parking facilities.

The T4 Express Link works will largely be constructed away from the Tullamarine Freeway to reduce impacts on the travelling public. Some minor disruption is expected within the Long Term Car Park during construction, and critical works such as the lifting of concrete bridge beams will be undertaken overnight to further minimise impacts on motorists and airport passengers. Construction on this stage is yet to begin.

Stage 2 – Elevated Roads and Forecourt

This stage includes:

  • Elevated Road to T123 Car Park Entry
  • Level 3 Exit Ramp to Departure Drive
  • Level 2 Exit Ramp to Melbourne Drive
  • Elevated Road Off-Ramp to Airport Drive

  • New pedestrian footbridge connecting Level 2 of T123 Car Park to Terminal Departures

  • Forecourt ground level redevelopment works for two carriageways and additional area north of T123 Car Park

Intersection upgrades for the following areas:
Centre Road / Airport Drive
Centre Road / Melbourne Drive
Centre Road / Terminal Drive

Centre Road / Arrivals Drive

Stage 2 of the project, will deliver, if approved, the grade separation of the heavily congested Terminal Drive and Centre Road intersection.

The current forecourt will remain open to commercial vehicles (including SkyBus, taxi/rideshare pick-up, long-term car park shuttle bus, other shuttle services, staff and crew buses etc.). New elevated exit ramps from T123 Car Park will join back onto the Tullamarine Freeway to complete the journey.

The Elevated Roads and Forecourt Stage 2 MDP is now available for review. You can view the MDP in the document library on the right of this page.

Combined with stage 1, the project will add around 1.6km of new road to the airport’s existing network. Stage 2 is estimated to remove about 40,000 cars from Terminal Drive and improve travel times for people driving into the airport precinct by around 35 minutes.

To ask a question about the project or to make a submission use the tools below.


Melbourne Airport is addressing growing traffic congestion through the construction of an elevated loop road network, which will separate public traffic from commercial transport operators.

The two-stage project will create a more streamlined exit from the Tullamarine Freeway to all terminals meaning travellers will no longer need to navigate roundabouts and busy intersections to make their way to the pick-up, drop-off and parking areas.

Stage 1 of this project was approved by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development in 2019.


The airport has now completed the Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan (MDP) for stage 2 , which is on public exhibition for people to review and provide comment and feedback on. You can view the MDP in the document library on the right of this page.


The project will target critical congestion points on the network leading into the airport, in particular Departure Drive, and the intersection of Centre Road and Terminal Drive.

The following key segments of the network will be progressively delivered.

Stage 1 – T4 Express Link

A new, direct connection from the Tullamarine Freeway into the T4 ground transport hub. This stage of the project will create a more streamlined exit from the Tullamarine Freeway catering mostly to T4 domestic travellers who will no longer need to navigate around a number of roundabouts and busy intersections to make their way to the pick-up, drop-off and parking facilities.

The T4 Express Link works will largely be constructed away from the Tullamarine Freeway to reduce impacts on the travelling public. Some minor disruption is expected within the Long Term Car Park during construction, and critical works such as the lifting of concrete bridge beams will be undertaken overnight to further minimise impacts on motorists and airport passengers. Construction on this stage is yet to begin.

Stage 2 – Elevated Roads and Forecourt

This stage includes:

  • Elevated Road to T123 Car Park Entry
  • Level 3 Exit Ramp to Departure Drive
  • Level 2 Exit Ramp to Melbourne Drive
  • Elevated Road Off-Ramp to Airport Drive

  • New pedestrian footbridge connecting Level 2 of T123 Car Park to Terminal Departures

  • Forecourt ground level redevelopment works for two carriageways and additional area north of T123 Car Park

Intersection upgrades for the following areas:
Centre Road / Airport Drive
Centre Road / Melbourne Drive
Centre Road / Terminal Drive

Centre Road / Arrivals Drive

Stage 2 of the project, will deliver, if approved, the grade separation of the heavily congested Terminal Drive and Centre Road intersection.

The current forecourt will remain open to commercial vehicles (including SkyBus, taxi/rideshare pick-up, long-term car park shuttle bus, other shuttle services, staff and crew buses etc.). New elevated exit ramps from T123 Car Park will join back onto the Tullamarine Freeway to complete the journey.

The Elevated Roads and Forecourt Stage 2 MDP is now available for review. You can view the MDP in the document library on the right of this page.

Combined with stage 1, the project will add around 1.6km of new road to the airport’s existing network. Stage 2 is estimated to remove about 40,000 cars from Terminal Drive and improve travel times for people driving into the airport precinct by around 35 minutes.

To ask a question about the project or to make a submission use the tools below.


Want to know more about the elevated loop road project? Ask us a question!

We will aim to respond within five business days.


Q&A

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    Melbourne often is rainy...seems few covered areas at drop off/collection points ?…also aged passengers are unable to walk long distances so are travellators included?

    William asked 20 days ago

    Hi William,

    Thanks for your question.

     

    The new drop-off area will have protection from adverse weather conditions through a series of awnings not dissimilar to existing arrangements (where there is an awning from the terminal buildings on Departure Drive).  Given the structural limitations of the T123 multi-storey parking structure, we are unable to construct a fully-undercover facility.  However, there will be a new fully enclosed lobby built in the car park which will provide passengers protection from wind and rain from the car park to the terminals. 

     

    Regarding any passengers with reduced mobility, there will be accessible parking spaces available in the ground forecourt (close to existing pick-up zone on Arrival Drive), which has a shorter walking distance to the terminals.  Any passengers will be able to use these spaces when being dropped-off or picked-up as long as the vehicle displays a valid Accessible Parking Permit.

     

    The new pedestrian bridge has been future proofed to cater for travellators but is not currently part of the scope due to the relatively short travel distance between car park and terminals.

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    The elevated road project is said to reduce travelling with the airport precinct by 35 min. we are also inform the rail link to airport will by under 30 minutes. To make an objective submission it would be helpful to known to current average travel times from 30km & 60Km from the airport

    harcourtpost asked 22 days ago

    Thanks for your question.

     Please note the 35 minute travel time saving would only apply to road users travelling to the airport via the Tullamarine Freeway (northbound) and Terminal Drive during weekday AM peak periods.

    It only includes the “airport precinct” area, which is the road network within three to four kilometres of the Terminals.  The travel time saving represents the difference between building the Project and not building the Project, and is based on ‘future-year’ conditions (accounting for the time to build the Project).

    For example, if the Project is not built, then traffic performance around the “airport precinct” during weekday AM peak periods would be so poor that travelling to Terminal 1,2,3 via the Tullamarine Freeway (northbound) and Terminal Drive would take 35 minutes longer than if the Project was built.  The travel time saving was measured via traffic analysis.

     Note that the above example is additional to the travel time for users travelling to the “airport precinct” from their home/hotel etc.  Travel times to the Terminals from 30 kilometres and 60 kilometres from the airport are highly variable – it would depend on origin, day of week, time of day, travel mode, route and conditions.

     Travel time estimates via the proposed Melbourne Airport Rail are reported on the respective Victorian Government project website.

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    Hi, I would like to ask if there are any plans at foot to link airport drive with the Tullamarine freeway for northbound and southbound traffic at Mercer Drive? A duplication of Mercer drive, to allow traffic on airport drive, to turn at the Mercer Rd roundabout and cut straight across to the Tullamarine freeway to head north on the freeway towards Sunbury, would totally eliminate all the traffic that currently uses Centre road heading north and not using the airport. As somebody who does this myself everyday, I notice a lot of vehicles including trucks heading towards Sunbury Rd, and currently the only option is to enter the airport precinct along Centre Rd. It has always amazed me why this would not have been planned from the start, as there is currently so much un necessary congestion caused from traffic not using the airport. I have seen the proposed elevated loop road on youtube, and I understand that this will allow vehicles to head north onto Sunbury Rd, but only after doing an un necessary loop through the airport precinct, still creating congestion for no apparent reason, and after they loop around the airport, they return to the vicinity of Mercer drive, where they started, to exit onto Sunbury Rd. Seems absolutely crazy. Kind regards, Russ.

    Russss asked over 2 years ago

    Hi Russss,

    We expect an improvement in traffic conditions between Airport Dr and Sunbury Rd (through Centre Rd Northbound) by transferring traffic currently using the at grade network to the elevated network as part of the elevated road works programme.

    Unfortunately a duplication of Mercer drive (Northbound) to allow for Sunbury Road traffic to bypass the airport would not be allowed under VicRoads guidelines due to proximity of exits off the freeway, which would likely cause unsafe weaving issues on the freeway due to vehicles trying to enter the airport precinct on Terminal Drive.


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    Will stage 2 eliminate completely pedestrian crossing of through traffic? This is what causes the major hold ups. The pedestrians need to elevated walkways to each of the lanes of traffic/pick up.drop off zones

    kasper asked about 2 years ago

    Hi kasper,

    The design of the elevated forecourt is still being finalised, however, a key principle of the project is to minimise the number of pedestrian crossings throughout the precinct. This is aimed to improve on the existing conditions currently experienced on departures drive in order to provide for a much better and safer driver and pedestrian journey.


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    Will the t123 section of the elevated road still have 3 pedestrian crossings that drop off vehicles have to contend with? Thank you

    Guy asked about 2 years ago

    Hi Guy,

    The design of the elevated forecourt is still being finalised, however, a key principle of the project is to minimise the number of pedestrian crossings throughout the precinct. This is aimed to improve on the existing conditions currently experienced on departures drive in order to provide for a much better and safer driver and pedestrian journey.


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    Will there be any development for a better connection between airport drive and sunbury road for local traffic. Commuting from the business park to Sunbury rd is a nightmare. Need something similar to the connection added for the airport drive to city solution.

    EmmaJade asked about 2 years ago

    Hi EmmaJade,

    We expect an improvement in traffic conditions between Airport Dr and Sunbury Rd (through Centre Rd Northbound) by transferring traffic from the existing network to the elevated network as part of the elevated road works program.