Statistics:

• Length: (Eastern Freeway) 18 km
• Western Terminus: Alexandra Pde (Eastern Hwy) (MR83) and Gold St, Collingwood
• Southern Terminus: Springvale Rd (MR40), Nunawading
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Collingwood, Alphington, Kew, Balwyn North, Doncaster, Box Hill, Blackburn North and Nunawading

Route Numbering:

• Current:  
• Former: 
• Road Authority Internal Classification: 1830 (Eastern Fwy) 1

General Information:

When Eastlink opened in June 2008, VicRoads, the body responsible for Victoria's major road network, decommissioned Metropolitan Route 83 from the Eastern Freeway, which runs from Collingwood to Nunawading. The number M3 was implemented along the full length of both the Eastern Freeway and Eastlink.

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

History:

• 1960s: Planning for Eastern Fwy and Scoresby Fwy (later Eastlink). 4
• 1970s: Construction begins on Eastern Freeway. 5
• 1984: Eastern Fwy extended from Templestowe to Doncaster Rd in Doncaster. 4
• October 1995: Work on the Eastern Freeway from Bulleen Road to Doncaster Road commences. 6
• February 1996: Worn on the Eastern Freeway from Doncaster Road to Springvale Road commences. 6
• September 1997: Eastern Freeway from Bulleen Road to Doncaster Road extension completed. 6
• 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. 7
• May 4, 1999: Funding allocated for the Eastern Freeway extension from Springvale Road to Ringwood. 8
• February 2000: Construction commences on Mitcham Road (MR36) bridge at Donvale. 63
• 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. 10
• 22 February 2001: Mitcham Road (MR36) bridge opens to traffic.  63
• 26 March 2002: Official opening of the Park Road bridge in Donvale. 11
• 23 September 2002: The Bracks Government today 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. 12
• June 2008: MR83 replaced with M3 along Eastern Fwy.

To see photos of MR83 signage along the mainline of Eastern Freeway, click here.
To see photos of MR83 signage along roads surrounding the Eastern Freeway, click inside the red circles on the map below.

Collingwood to Nunawading (Eastbound)			Nunawading to Collingwood (Westbound)
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Freeway Green Supplemental AD Sign: Freeway green supplemental advance directional sign approaching Burke Road (MR17) at Kew East, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley			Supplemental AD Sign: Supplemental advance directional sign approaching Middleborough Road (MR23) at Blackburn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Burke Road Interchange: Westbound at Kew East at the Burke Rd (MR17) interchange, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley			Supplemental AD sign: Supplemental advance directional sign approaching Tram Road (MR47) at Blackburn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the off-ramp at Burke Rd (MR17) interchange at Kew East, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley			Tram Road Interchange: Eastern Fwy citybound, at Tram Road interchange in Blackburn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for Bulleen Road (MR42/52) at the Burke Road (MR17) interchange at Kew East, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the off-ramp at the Tram Road (MR47) interchange in Blackburn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Elgar Road Interchange: Elgar Rd interchange at Doncaster, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the Elgar Road overpass at Doncaster, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Middleborough Road Interchange: Middleborough Rd (MR21) interchange in Blackburn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley			Variable Message Sign: VMS sign in Doncaster indicating traffic density and travel time to selected exits along the route, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Blackburn Road Interchange: The Blackburn Road (MR13) interchange at Doncaster East, November 2005. This is where the Eastern Freeway merges down to 3 lanes each way. Image © Rob Tilley			Supplemental AD Sign: Supplemental advance directional sign at Doncaster approaching Doncaster Road (MR36), November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	End Freeway 1km: End Freeway sign at Doncaster East, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley			Sound Barrier: Unusual sound walls approaching Doncaster Road (MR36) in Balwyn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Doncaster North Interchange: Eastern Fwy (former MR83) at Balwyn North at the Doncaster Rd (MR36) interchange, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the off-ramp to Doncaster Road (MR36) at Balwyn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Supplemental AD Sign: Supplemental advance directional sign approaching Bulleen Road (MR42/52) at Balwyn North, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Variable Message Sign: VMS sign in Balwyn North indicating traffic density and travel time to the Hoddle Street junction at the end of the freeway, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Freeway Green Advance Directional Sign: Freeway green AD sign approaching Chandler Hwy (MR21) at Kew, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Freeway Green Supplemental AD Sign: Freeway green supplemental AD sign approaching Chandler Hwy (MR21) at Kew, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Chandler Highway Interchange: Eastern Fwy at Chandler Hwy (MR21) at Kew, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Fairfield for the junction with Hoddle St (MR29), November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Freeway Green Directional Signs: Freeway green directional signage over the lanes of the Eastern Fwy at Fairlfield approaching the end of the freeway, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				End Freeway 1km: End Freeway sign at Fairfield, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Freeway Green Directional Signs: Freeway green directional signage over the lanes of the Eastern Fwy at Abbottsford approaching the end of the freeway, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
				Hoddle Street Interchange: Last interchange, westbound on the Eastern Freeway in Abbottsford, November 2005. Image © Rob Tilley

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 Tim Cole
5 Picture Australia, 1970s Freeway construction
6 Victorian Auditor General's Office, Road construction in Victoria: Major projects managed by VicRoads
7 Department of Infrastructure, Annual Report 1997-98
8 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
63 Minister of Transport, Media Release, First Eastern Freeway Milestone is Reached, 22 February 2001
10 The Office of the Premier, Media Release, Premier Announces $326m Eastern Fwy Extension, 13 October 2000
11 Minister of Transport, Media Release, Park Road Bridge Over Eastern Freeway Extension Opened to Traffic, 26 March 2002
12 Minister of Transport, Media Release, Bracks Government Announces Mitcham-Frankston Freeway Project, 23 September 2002