The Andrews Labor Government has removed sixty-six dangerous and congested level crossings, with traffic now flowing on a new road underpass at Robinsons Road, Deer Park – months ahead of schedule.
The opening of Robinsons Road comes only weeks after the removal of the level crossing on Fitzgerald Road in Ardeer – reducing travel time, improving safety and creating better local connections for all road users.
Crews worked around the clock at Robinsons Road on asphalting, road resurfacing and line marking during a 10-day road closure to ensure the road could open to traffic months ahead of schedule.
During the project, crews excavated more than 60,000 cubic metres of rock and soil to build the new road underpass and rail bridge, and installed 430 tonnes of steel, and seven bridge beams weighing 80 tonnes each.
Over the coming months, works will continue to ramp up at the nearby Mt Derrimut Road level crossing removal, with the project on track to be completed by 2024. It is the final level crossing on the Geelong and Ballarat line between Deer Park and the city to be removed – making journeys in the west safer and more reliable.
Across the three level crossing sites, there have been 18 near misses since 2012. The boom gates at Fitzgerald and Robinsons Road can be down for up to 45 per cent of the morning peak, when up to 37 trains pass through the crossings. At Mt Derrimut Road the boom gates can be down for up to 60 per cent of the morning peak.
Over the coming months, works will continue to ramp up at Mt Derrimut Road with piling underway to build the foundations for the new elevated rail bridge. A 250-space temporary car park for Deer Park commuters is also open, ensuring people can continue to use the station while construction is underway.
At Robinsons Road and Fitzgerald Road, works are continuing to improve local walking and cycling connections with new shared use paths, landscaping and more than 200,000 trees and shrubs to be planted by the end of the year.
As part of Victoria’s Big Build, the Labor Government is investing more than $27 billion in roads and rail infrastructure in Melbourne’s west and north west, including 15 level crossing removals.
The Government is removing 85 level crossings across Melbourne by 2025, with 66 now gone for good – boosting safety and easing congestion.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
“Another level crossing is now gone in Melbourne’s booming west, months ahead of schedule improving safety and reliability whether you’re travelling by foot, road or rail.”
“The level crossing removal at Robinson Road builds on our significant investment in the west to improve travel and better connect the community.”
Quote attributable to Member for Kororoit Marlene Kairouz
“It’s great to see the new underpass at Robinsons Road open months ahead of schedule, and we can’t wait to see the community reap the benefits of our significant investment in improving connections in the west.”
Reviewed 14 September 2022