Kapsch tolls part of new Melbourne link

Kapsch TrafficCom has been chosen by the Australian state of Victoria’s Tolling Corporation to deliver and operate tolling infrastructure for a major highway under construction in Melbourne.

The North East Link Tollway - NEL Tollway – is a key component of Victoria state’s Big Build, an A$90 billion infrastructure initiative. 

The project is to connect the M80 Ring Road to the Eastern Freeway via 6.5km of tunnels. The tollway will reduce travel times by up to 35 minutes and remove up to 15,000 trucks from local roads daily.

The NEL is the biggest-ever investment in Melbourne’s northeast and it marks a significant step forward in improving mobility and sustainability for drivers and communities across the city of more than five million inhabitants. 

With over 135,000 vehicles per day, it is expected to be one of the busiest roads of the country once it opens.

Daniel Vazquez, executive vice-president for the Asia Pacific region at Kapsch TrafficCom, said the tolling system will make a major difference for reducing congestion, improving safety and enhancing the overall driving experience for millions of Victorians every day.

The scope of the barrier-free tolling system to be delivered by Kapsch TrafficCom includes multiple toll points across three toll zones, covering both tunnel and open road sections. 

The system will feature over 80 sensors across 27 lanes and eight gantries. The hardware and software delivered as part of the project will enable precise vehicle detection, tracking, classification and automatic number plate recognition. 

This will ensure seamless tolling and optimised traffic flow, said Kapsch.

The contract includes both the delivery of the tolling system from mid-2025 through to 2028 and a 10-year operations and maintenance phase until 2038.