The Victorian Government is ramping up works in Melbourne’s southeast, commencing the removal of two major level crossings on the Frankston Line and building a new Glenhuntly Station.
Over four days, construction crews will do extensive ground works in preparation for digging a 1km trench next year. This will see the rail line lowered under Neerim Road and Glen Huntly Road – removing the two dangerous and congested level crossings.
The crossing removal will reduce delays for drivers at Glen Huntly, as the boom gates can be down for almost 60 per cent of the morning peak, when up to 40 trains run through the two crossings.
Since 2016, there have been twelve near-accidents at the Glen Huntly Road level crossing, with ten involving pedestrians.
The Glen Huntly Road level crossing is used by both trams and vehicles and is one of the city’s most dangerous, as the manually operated crossing requires more than 200 trains passing through each day to travel at very slow speeds – causing huge delays.
Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, said, “Once the boom gates are gone for good at Glen Huntly, the Frankston line will be safer and less congested for the thousands of people who travel along the line or have to cross over it each day.”
Member for Eastern Metropolitan, Nina Taylor, said the works were a major step for commuters’ safety.
“The removal of these dangerous and congested level crossings will see the Frankston Line level crossing free between Flinders Street and Moorabbin – changing the way people live, work and travel,” Ms Taylor said.
The new Glenhuntly Station will feature lifts and stairs down to the station platforms, improved lighting and security cameras, and a landscaped station forecourt leading to a new tram stop on Glen Huntly Road.
The works also include a new walking and cycling path between Ormond and Caulfield, and a pocket park on 700 square metres next to the rail line off Neerim Road.
Following these works, the third track and Platform three at Glenhuntly Station will reopen from 29 August 2022, after a temporary closure to allow express services to resume between Caulfield and Moorabbin.
During the around-the-clock works, commuters are advised to plan their journeys ahead, with buses replacing trains between Caulfield and Moorabbin from 8:30pm on 24 August to 4am on 27 August. Route 67 trams along Glen Huntly Road will not be affected by the works.
The Glen Huntly level crossing removal is in addition to the work underway for a track at Caulfield Junction to separate the Frankston and Cranbourne/Pakenham Lines, enabling peak hour services every two minutes from Caulfield when the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025.
