A new road bridge being built to remove the dangerous and congested level crossing and permanently separate vehicles and trains at Old Calder Highway, Diggers Rest will be named to honour the history of the town.
The level crossings at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road are being removed by building two new road bridges over the rail line, including a new road bridge that will connect Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road to Old Calder Highway.
Four names are being considered for the new road connection, with each option paying homage to the town’s historic beginnings.
Two options, Chisholm Drive and Golden Way, recognise the town’s Victorian history as a stopover for diggers heading to the goldfields. Caroline Chisholm was a gold rush-era humanitarian who provided shelter for diggers and their families in Victoria, including at Diggers Rest.
Meanwhile Castle Drive and Edina Drive are a nod to Diggers Rest local and Collingwood footballer Albert Tame, who played for the Magpies between 1897 and 1902, before settling at the historic Athenry cottage, later known as The Castle thanks to distinctive medieval features added by Tame in the 1930s, some of which were made from materials taken from the SS Edina steamship.
The bridge at Old Calder Highway will include a raised bike path and will permanently separate vehicles and trains, easing congestion in the heart of Diggers Rest and improving safety.
At Watsons Road, the bridge will include a raised pedestrian path and will be future-proofed to provide connections between upcoming developments north of Diggers Rest.
More than 8000 vehicles use the two Diggers Rest level crossings every day, with 27 trains travelling through the boom gates during the morning peak, creating 36 minutes of boom gate down time.
Removing them will take the Sunbury Line one step closer to being level crossing free in 2025, changing the way people live, work and travel.
The community is invited to share feedback on the 4 names at Engage Victoria.
In total the government is removing 110 level crossings by 2030, with 84 already gone for good.
