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Melbourne Airport will close up to 2,000 parking spaces to make way for works on stage two of its Naarm Way road project.
The new stage, slated to open in 2026, will directly connect Tullamarine Freeway to dedicated pick-up and drop-off areas at the carpark for Terminals 1, 2 and 3, which the airport says will enhance safety and reduce traffic congestion.
The elevated road from stage one will be linked to levels 2 and 3 of the T123 carpark, which will be repurposed for dedicated passenger drop-off and pick-up zones.
Cars will rejoin the Tullamarine Freeway from exit ramps at the carpark, while passengers will take a new footbridge to the terminals.
When stage two is completed, public traffic will be blocked off from the terminals’ existing forecourt, which will be exclusively used by commercial vehicles such as SkyBus, taxis, rideshare, and shuttle buses.
“This project will take an estimated 70,000 cars off Terminal Drive each day and provide a more resilient road network designed to reduce stress for passengers either departing or arriving,” said Melbourne Airport’s chief of ground transport, property and retail, Jai McDermott.
“It does, however, mean we have to remove parking spaces in the Value Car Park and in the T123 parking facility to make way for this upgrade, so we encourage everyone to book parking online to secure the best rate, especially during peak times like the upcoming long weekend and Easter holidays.”
Melbourne Airport opened stage one of the Naarm Way project, a $70 million elevated road that connects the Tullamarine Freeway directly to Terminal 4, in July last year. It is the largest road investment Melbourne Airport has made since Airport Drive opened in 2015.
“We’re making it easier for drivers to access Terminal 4 by removing the need for cars to navigate roundabouts and traffic lights on their way in,” said McDermott at the time.
“This new link will be of particular benefit to passengers flying on Jetstar domestic, Rex and Bonza flights, and we’d encourage people to pay attention to the new road layout as they arrive at the airport.”
