Concept designs have been revealed for level crossing removals and station upgrades being delivered as part of the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication, with the project to deliver more frequent and reliable services and better stations for passengers on Victoria’s busiest regional rail line.
The Australian and Victorian governments are investing more than $1 billion in rail upgrades between Geelong and Waurn Ponds, as part of an investment of more than $4 billion in the Regional Rail Revival program.
This is in addition to the $4 billion committed by both governments to deliver faster services between Geelong and Melbourne, as part of Geelong Fast Rail.
The South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication project will duplicate around eight kilometres of track and upgrade signalling between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds to deliver additional services to Marshall and Waurn Ponds stations, allowing five services per hour during peak times and three per hour between the peaks.
South Geelong and Marshall stations will also be completely rebuilt with new station buildings and forecourts, second platforms and accessible pedestrian overpasses, improved shelters and wayfinding, as well as more than 200 new parking spaces at Marshall, to service the growing communities south of Geelong.
The designs include elevated rail bridges for level crossing removals at Fyans Street and Surf Coast Highway which will boost safety and traffic flow for around 36,000 vehicles that travel through these areas every day.
A new rail bridge will remove trains from the complex five-way roundabout at Fyans Street in South Geelong, improving traffic flow and safety for motorists, while the rail line at Surf Coast Highway will be elevated and moved away from local residences, creating new green open spaces between homes and trains.
The level crossing removals would deliver travel time savings for thousands of vehicles every day and enhance the area by creating improved walking and cycling connections.
More than five kilometres of new shared user paths will be created to link to existing trails and paths and create a continuous connection for cyclists and pedestrians between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds for the first time.
The shortlisted contractors to deliver the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication include CUBG, a consortia comprising CPB Contractors, UGL, Beca and GHD, and the Djilang Alliance, comprising McConnell Dowell, Downer, Arup and WSP Australia.
The contract for the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication will be awarded in mid-2022.
Construction on the project is expected to commence at the end of 2022 and is targeted for completion in 2024.
For more information and to have your say on the designs, click here.
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