The Victorian Government is set to launch a winter work blitz that will deliver more than $1 billion of road and rail projects across Melbourne’s east, easing congestion, boosting connectivity and creating safer journeys.
Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Danny Pearson, announced that the works are progressing at pace to build two new stations and remove three level crossings in Pakenham – with both stations expected to be ready by early June.
From mid-May until early June, crews will be working around the clock to demolish the existing Pakenham Station and finish the elevated 2.5km rail bridge.
These works are all part of a bumper project to make the Pakenham line level crossing-free by 2025, creating capacity for more trains to run more often when the Metro Tunnel opens, while also making train services more reliable by allowing Metro and V/Line trains to cross over and bypass each other.
As part of the works, the Pakenham line is being extended to East Pakenham, creating a new station for the growing suburb that includes 300 car parks, bike facilities, bus bays and pick-up and drop-off zones near the station.
Closer to the city, two level crossings in Parkdale will also be removed in winter with a construction blitz starting in mid-July, making way for a brand-new Parkdale Station to open to passengers by spring.
On the roads, all lanes on the Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road Upgrade will open by July – 18 months ahead of schedule.
The upgrade, which is jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian governments under the Suburban Roads Upgrades – South Eastern and Northern Roads project, will deliver new traffic lights and an extra lane in each direction between Southeast Boulevard and Manks Road.
It is expected to dramatically reduce the number and severity of road collisions, after 37 collisions were recorded between the Princes Freeway and Manks Road in the five years to June 2023.
The first stage of the $391.5 million Federal Government funded Pakenham Roads Upgrade project is also set to go ahead, delivered by Major Road Projects Victoria. The new outbound entry ramp from McGregor Road to the freeway will be completed in May and the new bridge over the Princes Freeway will open to traffic in June.
Mr Pearson said that works are charging ahead to deliver transformative road and rail projects across Melbourne’s south east – which will ease congestion and make our transport network safer.”
Member for Pakenham, Emma Vulin, said, “These projects will transform our growing Pakenham community – along with the brand-new Pakenham Station, the new East Pakenham Station will improve reliability and help get thousands of locals to where they need to go.”
Image credit: TanyaStawitzki/shutterstock.com
