A consortium including Lend Lease, CPB Contractors, WSP|Parsons Brinkerhoff, and Aurecon has formally signed a $1.6 billion contract to remove nine level crossings and re-build five train stations in Melbourne’s south-east.
The contract, announced in February, represents the key chunk of work required in Premier Daniel Andrews’ plan to rebuild the Cranbourne-Pakenham line.
“The project to eliminate these congested death traps is about to begin, and 2000 jobs are about to be created,” treasurer Tim Pallas said on Friday.
“This project will deliver more room, on more trains to carry more people on Melbourne’s busiest rail line. It’s needed now, and we’re not going to waste a day – we’re going to get it done.”
The Andrews Government has committed to remove at least 20 of the state’s most dangerous level crossings by 2018, and 50 by 2022.
The nine crossings – which together make up every level crossing between Caulfield and Dandenong – are some of Melbourne’s worst, according to the premier, with some boom gates down for more than 87 minutes of the two-hour morning peak.
The project will remove the crossings, and rebuild stations at Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Clayton and Noble Park.
Thirty station platforms along the line will also be lengthened to cater for the 37 new high-capacity metropolitan trains, which are currently in the process of being tendered, with three competing groups – led by Bombardier, Alstom and Downer EDI – currently on the shortlist.
In addition to the station rebuilds, level crossing removals and lengthening of platforms, three sections of newly elevated rail along the line will create 225,000 square metres of community open space, which Andrews says will be reserved for new parks, playgrounds, sporting facilities, car parking and a range of other uses chosen by locals.
“If we don’t build this project, our roads will grind to a halt and our train system will be overwhelmed,” Victorian transport minister Jacinta Allan said.
“Removing these crossings will relieve pressure on our roads and trains, and make communities along this line better places to live, with new parks, less traffic and more trains.”