Congestion is easing and travel reliability has been improved on Fitzsimons Lane at the Porter Street intersection in Templestowe, after the completion of the latest upgrade along the busy route.

The new intersection is now open four days ahead of schedule, thanks to construction crews working around the clock since April to replace the existing temporary roundabout with a signalised intersection.

The Porter Street upgrade worked above and below ground to deliver new traffic signals, extra through lanes and dedicated turning lanes to make journeys safer and easier for motorists.

To complement additional lanes, new signals and other safety improvements such as pedestrian crossings have also been installed as part of the intersection upgrade.

To date, more than 45,000 work hours were completed during this major works period. Finishing works are now underway – including street lighting, road signage, drainage, landscaping, asphalting, and line-marking works – and these will continue throughout 2022.

Fitzsimons Lane connects Eltham and Templestowe to neighbouring eastern and northern suburbs, as well as the Eastern Freeway, carrying more than 60,000 vehicles each day.

Its upgrade will improve journey times, slash congestion, enhance public transport reliability and keep cyclists and pedestrians safe from busy traffic at the intersection.

The Fitzsimons Lane Upgrade has used 28,365 tonnes of building material which contained recycled content with the equivalent volume of 123 B-Class Trams, and an equivalent recycled glass of 8.2 million beer bottles with a volume equivalent to 5.14 B-Class Trams.

The Fitzsimons Lane Upgrade is on track to be completed by 2023.