Newport and Williamstown North locals will be able to use a new link road, once the dangerous and congested level crossings at Maddox and Champion roads are gone for good in 2026.
The link road will connect Champion Road to Maddox Road directly via Akuna Drive and will be open before the Champion Road level crossing closes.
Akuna Drive is a key access point for many businesses, extending the road will make it easier to move around the area and deliver more reliable journey times for locals.
Locals said improvements to walking and cycling connections were important to the community – a new accessible pedestrian and cycling bridge at Champion Road will keep the community connected. The new bridge will allow people to cross the rail line and access local businesses on Champion Road and Challis Street, as well as nearby parks.
A shared walking and cycling path will also be built on Railway Parade, connecting to the existing path on Market Street, making it safer for pedestrians and bike riders.
Members of the newly formed Maddox Road and Champion Road, Newport Stakeholder Liaison Group (SLG) will soon come together for their first meeting. The SLG will provide local perspectives and insights to the project team and share project information to their community.
The SLG is made up of volunteer community members who represent the views and interests of local residents, business owners, and community organisations and is an important way for us to connect with the community.
Locals can attend in-person information sessions or a community webinar in May. More information on the planning consultation and community survey is available via Engage Victoria.
The boom gates at the level crossings are already down for around 50 minutes of the morning peak while 48 trains run through the crossings. More than 10,000 vehicles go through the crossings at Maddox and Champion roads each day.
The Maddox Road level crossing will be removed by building elevated rail bridges for the Australian Rail Track Corporation and Metro Trains Melbourne rail lines above the road. Once Akuna Drive is extended to Maddox Road, the Champion Road level crossing will be closed.
The Newport level crossings will be gone for good in 2026, paving the way for the Werribee Line to be level crossing free by 2030, transforming the way locals live, work, and travel.
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