The sod has been turned at the Ellenbrook train station site on WA’s METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line.
The first stage of work at the Ellenbrook Station site includes bulk earthworks, installation of in-ground services and station footings, followed by structural works, facades and interior.
It will be the most northern of the five new stations along the new 21-kilometre rail line to Perth, with stations constructed at Whiteman Park, Malaga, Noranda and Morley, before the train links to the Midland Line at the new Bayswater Station.
Site compounds will be located at the Ellenbrook, Whiteman Park and Malaga station sites while, in the rail corridor, clearing and service relocations have started.
The project’s next stage includes building the foundations for the elevated station at Whiteman Park and the start of earthworks for bridge structures at Gnangara Road, Beechboro Road, and within Bennett Springs.
Work is also continuing on the Tonkin Gap project, which is delivering works on the Morley-Ellenbrook Line.
Last weekend eight bridge beams were installed as part of the Broun Avenue bridge, which will become the new bus interchange for the METRONET Morley Station, and a further six bridge beams will be lifted next weekend for the Morley Drive rail bridge.
The project is anticipated to support and create up to 6500 local jobs.
The new Ellenbrook Station is being constructed in the heart of Ellenbrook’s town centre and will offer quick and easy transport services to the more than 46,000 residents currently living in and around the suburb, slashing public transport travel times by up to 50 per cent.
The population of residents living within a one-kilometre radius of the station is anticipated to increase from under 4080 to more than 7300, with local jobs anticipated to grow from 2710 to over 3500.
Ellenbrook Station has been designed as a major activity centre to support this growth, while making the most of vacant land around the station, with high intensity development in areas close to the future strategic station precinct anticipated to increase dwellings from 1,580 to 2,840.
As planned, the Morley-Ellenbrook Line is expected to be operational by the end of 2024.
The project had been a Liberal Party election commitment in 2008, and encouraged many people to move to the Ellenbook region and surrounds. But anger grew among residents when rail developments kept getting stalled.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the new train line will completely change the way people in our north-eastern suburbs travel, slashing travel times almost in half.
“This is one of the 15 METRONET projects we currently have under construction, have completed, in planning or in procurement,” he said.
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said she had been campaigning for the Ellenbrook train line for over a decade and was proud to turn the sod to mark the start of works.
“Our north-eastern suburbs are one of Australia’s fastest growing communities, and the population is expected to double by 2050 – from 209,000 in 2011 to more than 450,000 by 2050.
“Ellenbrook Station will create more transport choice for residents living in Ellenbrook, Aveley and The Vines, and will be a key transport link for suburbs further to the north including Bullsbrook and surrounds.”
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Contract signed for Morley-Ellenbrook