The Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) has hit the halfway point after removing the 38th level crossing out of 75.
The goal of the project is to remove 75 level crossings from across Melbourne by 2025, to ease congestion and boost efficiency for drivers.
The project also aims to improve safety around railways. Since 2005, more than 30 people have lost their lives and there have been more than 800 near misses at the 75 level crossings being removed.
Level crossings removed at Charman and Park Roads in Cheltenham and Balcombe Road in Mentone have brought the total to the halfway point. These were removed as part of a major construction blitz on the Frankston line.
During the peak of construction in June 2018, 6600 workers were employed across 18 sites. More than 44 million hours have been worked on the projects since the beginning in 2015.
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Alongside removed level crossings, the project has also produced 23 new or upgraded train stations including three brand new stations as part of the Mernda Rail Extension.
LXRP estimates with these level crossings removed around 700,000 vehicles will no longer be held up by boom gates each day – which is equivalent to all the traffic on the M80 Ring Road over four days.
Nearly 14 Melbourne Cricket Ground’s worth of open space has been created as a result of the projects and 45 kilometres of shared walking and biking paths have been constructed.
The next set of crossings to be removed are on the Upfield Line following a construction blitz in November and with a deadline of 2025 to get all 75 crossings removed there is much more in the pipeline.