Major works are now underway to remove four level crossings at Oakover Road, Bell Street, Cramer Street and Murray Road in Preston, Melbourne.
The railway will be elevated, and new stations will be built at Bell and Preston. The stations aim to rejuvenate the precincts for locals and create safer, more direct links between public transport, shopping and parking.
It aims to benefit more than 82,000 motorists who pass through the level crossings on the Mernda line every day, with boom gates down for up to 40 per cent of the morning peak.
Crews will install fencing along the rail corridor and foundations for temporary overhead wiring, while getting ready to move the rail power supply underground.
Temporary station facilities will be constructed at Preston and Bell over the coming months to keep passengers on trains during the construction phase.
Related stories:
- Contracts awarded for level crossing removals worth $800M
- Stations open in Melbourne’s north following level crossing removals
- Upfield line level crossing blitz to finish ahead of schedule
Disruptions to train services on the Mernda line will be minimal, with the rail line not closing for more than 12 consecutive days at a time.
The Level Crossing Removal Project has eliminated 45 level crossings around the city so far, with more works underway.
In the south-east, work is ramping up on the Pakenham line, with major construction underway to remove level crossings in Dandenong, Hallam, Berwick, and work fast tracked on the removal of three more sets of boom gates at Pakenham – where new stations will also be built at Pakenham and Pakenham East.
In the West, Werribee’s Cherry Street level crossing will be gone by Easter – months ahead of schedule.
In Mooroolbark and Lilydale, a week-long construction blitz is currently underway, where crews are preparing to remove two more level crossings by building new rail bridges.
The project aims to remove 75 level crossings by 2025.
The Oakover Road, Bell Street, Cramer Street and Murray Road level crossings are set to be removed by the end of 2022, with the new stations open in 2023.