Easing congestion at Melbourne Airport

Drawing on expertise in bridge and retaining wall design, geotechnical engineering, road geometry, utility relocation, drainage and pavement design, as well as signage, line marking, lighting, traffic signals, and Intelligent Transport Systems, our integrated team is delivering a cohesive and technically robust design for a key piece of transport infrastructure.

Naarm Way Stage 2 will provide a direct connection from the Tullamarine Freeway to new dedicated pick-up and drop-off zones in the T123 Transport Hub, within the existing T123 carpark. New exit ramps from the T123 car park will provide direct access to Departure Drive and Melbourne Drive onto Tullamarine Freeway. The T123 Transport Hub design creates an express loop road network which will ease growing traffic congestion by separating public traffic from commercial transport operators. Additionally, the new pick up and drop off zones will reduce congestion in the forecourt area, while more than doubling capacity for travellers dropping off and picking up, resulting in a safer and more efficient passenger experience.

The design services included civil, road and bridge design for the new elevated road.  Ancillary services include pavement design, intelligent transport system solutions, traffic signals design, structural gantry design and associated public utility design.

Driving efficiency with intelligent design

The project required the design and construction teams to work within strict constraints to minimise disruption to airport operations, as Melbourne Airport remained fully operational throughout construction. Close collaboration with Seymour Whyte was essential in developing constructible solutions that accommodated limited working windows and embargo periods during public holidays and peak travel seasons.

With these requirements as a core foundation, SMEC undertook a detailed review of the reference design to identify key opportunities for value engineering. The team recommended several design optimisations that significantly reduced material requirements during construction. These design refinements included:

• • Optimising the road alignment for elevated road structures to minimise overall structural lengths.
  • Redesign of the bridge to multiple spans and piers, reducing the number of super-T girders.
  • Optimising of stormwater drainage solution, reducing the size and number of drainage pipes and pits.
  • Optimising the positioning of structural elements to facilitate construction staging while maintaining traffic flow and avoiding high voltage service relocation

SMEC fully integrated the design into a BIM model aligned with Melbourne Airport’s data requirements.  Whilst the primary purpose of the BIM model was to digitally represent our final engineered solution, the federated BIM model also served as a key tool for facilitating collaborative and detailed engineering design through the design process and was a valuable tool used to communicate our solution with all major stakeholders. This process enabled the early identification and resolution of design challenges, construction constraints, and operational considerations prior to finalising the design solution.

SMEC’s involvement in Naarm Way Stage 2 reflects our commitment to delivering integrated, future-focused infrastructure solutions that respond to complex urban challenges. By combining deep technical expertise, advanced digital tools and close collaboration with delivery partners, we have helped shape a design that improves traffic flow, enhances safety, and supports Melbourne Airport’s long-term growth.

As passenger volumes continue to rise, the completion of Naarm Way Stage 2 will mark a major step forward in improving access and efficiency across the airport precinct. SMEC is proud to contribute to this transformative project, helping to create a smarter, more resilient transport network for one of Australia’s busiest gateways.