Work will begin next year on the $1 billion Cranbourne Line Upgrade, which will remove four level crossings and duplicate track over several stages.
The Victorian government outlined the timetable for the project on September 2. Together with the 11 crossings already removed along the line, the project is aimed at achieving a passenger service every 10 minutes on the line.
The Greens Road level crossing in Dandenong South will be eliminated by building a new rail bridge over the existing road, with work to begin in 2020.
Work will also start in 2020 to build eight kilometres of new track between Dandenong and Cranbourne, removing the single-track bottlenecks that prevent more frequent passenger services on the line. The duplication works, which also include the rebuilding of Merinda Park station, will be done by 2023.
Three further crossings will be removed by 2025 under the Cranbourne Line Upgrade: Webster Street in Dandenong, Evans Road in Lyndhurst, and Camms Road in Cranbourne.
The project also includes upgrades to Thompsons Road and Hallam Road, and significant power, signalling and platform works to enable the rollout of larger High Capacity Metro Trains.
“This unprecedented investment in rail and road for Melbourne’s booming south east is vital to allow locals to get home safer and sooner,” transport infrastructure minister Jacinta Allan said.
“Whether it is new stations, duplicated track or level crossing removals – we’re getting on with these essential upgrades to run more trains, more often on the Cranbourne line.”
“This is exciting news for our community – delivering a brand new station and room for more trains, more often,” member for Cranbourne Pauline Richards added.