Works to remove two dangerous and congested level crossings at Mooroolbark and Lilydale will ramp up over summer.
The level crossings at Manchester Road in Mooroolbark and Maroondah Highway in Lilydale clog roads and put lives at risk, with 13 crashes in the past decade and one tragic fatality.
More than 53,000 vehicles use these crossings each day and the boom gates can be down for up to a quarter of the two-hour morning peak, according to the state government.
Major construction to remove these level crossings by 2022, build rail bridges and new stations for Mooroolbark and Lilydale will start in December, with buses replacing trains between Ringwood and Lilydale from 11-20 December and some local road closures with traffic detours in place.
The nine-day construction blitz will kick off a busy summer at the sites as crews build foundations for the new rail bridges with large machinery, and install new underground cables. A further week-long rail line closure will take place at the end of summer, with details to be confirmed as works progress.
Monbulk MP James Merlino said, “I know these communities can’t wait to be level crossing-free – and with brand new stations and a new multideck carpark, we’re transforming the travel experience for our outer eastern suburbs.”
Early works are also now underway to build a new multi-deck car park that will double the number of spaces for commuters at Mooroolbark Station by adding 450 new and upgraded spaces.
The new Mooroolbark multi-deck car park is being delivered through the Victorian Government’s Car Parks for Commuters Program, which is creating 11,000 new and upgraded car spaces at train stations to unclog neighbouring streets and help more people use public transport.
The multi-deck car park will feature lifts to improve accessibility, CCTV and better lighting for commuters’ safety, with community feedback helping to refine the design to suit locals’ needs.
The existing Mooroolbark Station commuter car park is now closed, and a temporary car park on the Cardigan Road reserve is open until the new multi-deck car park opens in 2022.
The project is the first part of upgrades along the Belgrave and Lilydale lines, paving the way for more trains more often in the future. A total of eight level crossings are being removed on the Belgrave and Lilydale lines. The Mooroolbark and Lilydale level crossings will be removed in 2022.
For more information about Victoria’s major infrastructure projects, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au.
