The Sunbury Line in Victoria is on track to being level crossing free by 2025 as the State Government gets on with works to reduce congestion and prepare the line for the opening of the Metro Tunnel.
Major construction to remove the level crossing at Calder Park Drive is now underway along with the delivery of a new road bridge over the Sunbury Line. These works will help ease congestion for the thousands of drivers passing through this road each day as well as the 25 trains per hour expected to pass through during peak times once Metro Tunnel opens.
“With so many road and rail projects underway in the booming west, it’s essential these dangerous and congested level crossings are removed to make way for additional train services and keep our community safely moving through the area,” Member for Sunbury Josh Bull said.
Crews are now carrying out piling works for the foundations of the new road bridge. In addition, the first stage of a temporary road will be built alongside Calder Park Drive to help minimise disruptions and enable locals to safely move through the area while construction is going on.
Removing the level crossing at Calder Park Drive will help improve traffic flow in the area and it will allow for the permanent closure of the Holden Road level crossing, ultimately making journeys faster and safer on local roads.
Once Metro Tunnel opens, the Sunbury Line is expected to provide service to up to 113,000 extra passengers at peak hours each week in 2025 and the removal of the Calder Park Drive level crossing is crucial to supporting the growth of one of Melbourne’s fastest growing residential areas that sees up to 20 per cent of the morning peak with the boom gates down.
“Removing the dangerous and congested Calder Park Drive level crossing will improve safety for our community and ease congestion for more than 10,000 vehicles that use it each day,” Member for Sydenham Natalie Hutchins said.
The level crossing at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road in Diggers Rest will also be removed in addition to the two Calder Park level crossings to make the Sunbury Line level crossing free in 2025.
About 110 danger and congested level crossings are set to be removed across Melbourne by 2030.
“With four level crossing already gone for good and another four set for removal, we’re getting on with making the Sunbury Line level crossing free, so we can provide more trains more often for these booming communities when the Metro Tunnel opens a year ahead of schedule in 2025,” Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said.
Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Victoria’s Big Build (1, 2); Roads & Infrastructure Australia