This summer will see major works on Victoria’s Big Build including maintenance on four regional train lines, the West Gate Bridge and the City Loop.
Victorian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, said, “It’s our biggest summer of Victoria’s Big Build with more than 19,000 jobs on the ground pushing to get vital road and rail upgrades done in the coming months.
“We’re upgrading every regional passenger line and delivering major projects including the Metro Tunnel – making it quicker and easier to get where you need to go, no matter where you live.”
Annual maintenance works will close four outbound lanes on the West Gate Bridge between Boxing Day and 4 January 2023.
From 9pm on 2 January 2023 through to the last service on 15 January 2023, crews will work around-the-clock in the City Loop to upgrade smoke detection, extraction and sprinkler systems at Flagstaff, Melbourne Central and Parliament stations.
The works on the City Loop will help better manage potential emergency situations in the underground rail system, including allowing crews to respond quicker to intruders – further minimising and reducing delays to the network.
Rail works will happen in preparation for when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025 – enabling trains to travel through Caulfield Station every two to three minutes.
“As the city-shaping Metro Tunnel emerges above ground and the opening of the new Anzac Station tram stop later this month, crews will be working hard on upgrades that deliver turn-up-and-go services when it opens in 2025,” Ms Allan said.
A final construction blitz to remove two dangerous and congested level crossings at Union and Mont Albert roads in Surrey Hills also kicks off this summer, as crews begin excavating the 1.3km rail trench and building the new Union Road Station.
On St Kilda Road, existing tram tracks will be realigned to join with the new tram stop at Anzac Station ahead of the tram stop reopening on 19 December 2022. Construction continues on new bike lanes on St Kilda Road to improve safety for all road users.
Works will get underway on Footscray Road, Wurundjeri Way and the West Gate Freeway at Williamstown Road in January and February to widen the West Gate Freeway and build new connections to the CBD and CityLink.
Train detection upgrades at level crossings in Victoria’s north will improve safety for road and rail users, with work on the Bendigo and Echuca Lines.
On the Geelong Line, work continues on upgrades to South Geelong and Marshall stations and the level crossing removal at Surf Coast Highway and Fyans Street, as part of the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds Duplication.
The commissioning of substations at Footscray will be a step closer to High Capacity Metro Trains on the Sunbury Line.
Victorian Minister for Public Transport, Ben Carroll, said, “We thank Victorians for their patience as we get in and get these important road and rail works done, and urge everyone to plan ahead when exploring our wonderful city this summer.
Does that mean will fly from Kerang to Southern Cross because the roads are full of pot holes an are undriveable
When does Mr Andrews start work on the Glen Waverley line crossing removals, especially the Glenferrie Road tram square? The line is used by many of his current constituents so there is a feeling of being ignored by the Premier for many. Again it appears Mr Andrews and his party are pandering to their base and using our money to do so.