Over the weekend, the Victorian Government’s Level Crossing Removal program reached a major milestone, crossing over the target of removing 50 level crossings by end of year to achieve 54 removals, 12 months ahead of schedule.
While the program was gearing to celebrate the 50th cross level removal at Bondi Road, Bonbeach, there was announcement of the removal of four more level crossings on the Frankston line this weekend – Edithvale Road, Edithvale; Chelsea Road, Chelsea; Swanpool Avenue, Chelsea and Argyle Avenue, Chelsea – with three new, modern stations springing up on the line following a 70-day construction blitz.
It followed the 48th and 49th removals at Manchester Road, Mooroolbark and Maroondah Highway, Lilydale, and two new railway stations opening for passengers at Lilydale and Mooroolbark on Friday 19 November.
It means 16 level crossings are now gone for good on the Frankston line, with 20 due to be gone by 2025.
Traffic now flows freely beneath two new rail bridges and trains have returned to the Lilydale line – creating a smoother trip for more than 53,000 vehicles travelling in these areas each day.
Started in 2014, the program initially aimed to remove 75 dangerous and congested level crossings by 2025, but this objective was subsequently extended to 85 crossing removals by 2025.
Over the past six years, the project has racked up almost 62 million work hours, delivering 31 new and upgraded train stations, unlocking the equivalent of 14 MCGs of open space, putting more than 1.9 million new plants in the ground and building 42 kilometres of new walking and bike paths.
In the last 12 months alone, 15 level crossings have been removed and seven stations built, with more than 6,900 people currently working across 25 sites.
On average, one level crossing is being removed every four weeks in 2021.
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews said in a statement yesterday the program was on track to remove two more crossings before end of year.
“The level crossings at Old Geelong Road, Hoppers Crossing and Ferguson Street, Williamstown will also be a thing of the past by the end of this year – putting an end to waiting at boom gates and boosting safety for these communities, with 56 level crossings gone by next month,” the Premier said.
Victoria’s Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan thanked passengers for their patience.
“By reaching today’s golden milestone, we’ve delivered on our election promise to remove 50 dangerous and congested level crossings across Melbourne by 2022 – and we’ve done it a year earlier than planned,” the Minister said.
“We thank the thousands of passengers for their patience as our hard-working crews have worked around the clock to get this job done.”
Construction continues on 17 level crossing removals across Melbourne, with another 15 in planning – all to be gone for good in just under four years.
While the new Lilydale and Mooroolbark stations are now open, crews will remain in the area until mid 2022 to complete car parking, planting and landscaping works around the stations.
Related stories:
- Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Project extended
- Melbourne’s Sunbury level crossing removal gets underway
- New completion dates set for three Melbourne level crossing projects