VIC Ferguson Street level crossing removal to support 600 local jobs

Works to remove the level crossing at Ferguson Street in Williamstown, Victoria is due to begin in February of next year with project designs now finalised and a $192 million construction contract awarded to an alliance comprised of McConnell Dowell, Arup, Mott McDonald, Metro Trains and the Level Crossing Removal Project. 

This congested and dangerous level crossing is used by approximately 25,000 vehicles daily, with more than 110 trains passing through, and this is a cause for safety concerns for residents and schools. 

“A chaotic level crossing has absolutely no place in an area that sees hundreds of kids transiting from train station to school each day. The time has come for it to go,” Member for Williamstown Melissa Horne said. 

The Ferguson Street level crossing removal project involves lowering the rail line under the road and building a new North Williamstown Station. 

The project delivery team will begin works by excavating a 750-metre trench through hard basalt rock and clay. This requires the removal of material enough to fill 20 Olympic swimming pools. 

Once excavation works are done, Ferguson Street is going to be rebuilt over the new trench and tracks to be laid underneath along with the construction of the new North Williamstown Station. 

During the construction phase, the rail line will have to be closed for three months in late 2021. 

Project designs that were recently revealed include final changes to the station as well as the surrounding precinct which have been carefully configured to fit in with the area’s low-rise streetscapes. 

The new station will feature red brick and bluestone – some reused from the existing station precinct – together with new open space and an additional pedestrian crossing. The main western heritage station building is going to be retained for this project. 

“Months and months of careful work and planning has gone into fine-tuning this design and we’ll continue to work with the local community as we remove this level crossing for good,” Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said. 

At peak construction period, the project is expected to support up to 600 local full-time jobs. 

The Ferguson Street level crossing will be gone for good by 2022. 

Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Level Crossing Removal Project; Engage Victoria – Victoria’s Big Build