- Published:
- Wednesday 21 October 2020
Faster and safer journeys are a step closer for thousands of people in Melbourne’s south-east, with early works underway on the Victorian Government’s project to remove the Hallam Road level crossing and build a new station.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan and Member for Narre Warren North Luke Donnellan welcomed the beginning of project, which provides a key connection for Melbourne’s growing south-east between the South Gippsland Highway, Princes Highway and the Monash Freeway.
The level crossing has been the site of 14 near misses in the past 10 years and the boom gates are down for nearly a third of the two-hour morning peak, causing delays and frustration for the 20,000 vehicles that travel through the level crossing every day.
A rail bridge will be built to remove the level crossing to improve safety, traffic flow and connectivity between Cranbourne, Spring Square and Hampton Park Town Centre.
In the coming weeks, fences will be erected around the work areas and cranes will move site offices in ahead of major works beginning at the end of the year. A temporary commuter car park will open with the site offices closing a small number of spaces in the station’s southern car park.
Updated designs for the brand-new Hallam Station were released in July – with a second entrance added in response to community feedback to allow passengers to access platforms from either side of Hallam Road, and a Parkiteer bike parking facility.
Nominations for the Hallam Road Level Crossing Removal Construction Liaison Group are now open. The group will meet regularly to hear the latest project news and provide the construction team with local knowledge and perspectives. To get involved, visit engage.vic.gov.au/lxrp-hallam.
The project is complemented by the Hallam Road Upgrade completed in June, and next week’s opening of the new Evans Road bridge which will remove the level crossing and reconnect the communities of Lyndhurst, Lynbrook and Cranbourne West for the first time in 15 years.
The huge Metro Tunnel project will slash travel times on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines by up to 50 minutes each day, as well as making room for hundreds of thousands more passengers.
The Victorian Government is removing 75 level crossings, with 38 already gone for good. The Hallam Road level crossing will be removed in 2022.
Quote attributable to Minister for Transport infrastructure Jacinta Allan
“We’re freeing up Melbourne’s booming south-eastern suburbs – with the Hallam Road Upgrade, level crossing removals and the Metro Tunnel, we’re busting congestion on busy roads and slashing travel times on trains.”
Quote attributable to Member for Narre Warren North Luke Donnellan
“We’re excited to see early works get underway on the level crossing project and the new station – and I’d encourage all locals who want to get involved in the project to consider joining the Construction Liaison group.”