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Purpose Freeways play a vital role in increasing Australia's economy and meeting the demands of the growing urban population by facilitating the efficient movement of passenger vehicles and freight at higher volumes. However, a review of the lifecycle sustainability assessment process of freeways reveals a notable imbalance in considering the social dimension, due to its ambiguous nature. Therefore, this study aims to develop a tool for evaluating the lifecycle social sustainability performance of Australian freeways. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-method research approach was adopted to achieve the research aim, including a literature review of related studies published between 2000 and 2023 and two phases of semi-structured interviews with 47 Australian construction industry experts. Furthermore, the proposed tool was validated through focus group interviews conducted with 17 experts involved in three freeway case study projects across different states in Australia. Findings This study identifies 42 critical indicators and categorised them into cause-and-effect groups based on their causal interrelationships. Moreover, based on the findings, a tool to evaluate and monitor the lifecycle social sustainability performance of the freeway projects was developed. Originality/value The study combines previously disparate approaches, such as lifecycle assessment, social sustainability indicators and Fuzzy DEMATEL, into a logical tool tailored to Australian freeway infrastructure. This context-specific synthesis not only fills a discernible gap in the literature but also reflects methodological ingenuity that extends beyond mere aggregation. The extensive use of the proposed tool is projected to assist the construction industry professionals in promoting and fostering lifecycle social sustainability assessment of freeways to generate positive social outcomes and ensure a balanced approach in sustainable development.