A deadly Dandenong South level crossing is a step closer to being removed.
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams visited the site on Friday 1 June to inspect the first concrete U-trough beam installed over Abbotts Road.
Fourteen more will follow to form the new single-track rail bridge to separate the Cranbourne rail line from the road.
“This unique rail bridge design will ensure that Abbotts Road remains open permanently, maintaining an important connection to the busy Dandenong South industrial precinct,” Ms Williams said.
About 22,000 vehicles use the road each day.
Two serious collisions between a train and a vehicle resulted in fatalities in recent years – one in 2008 and another in 2012.
“The removal of this dangerous level crossing is well overdue,” Ms Williams said.
She said the new rail bridge design would ensure enough space remained for both a potential future rail duplication above and road duplication beneath.
“It’s exciting to see that the Abbotts Road level crossing removal project is in full swing and the project team will continue to update the community as it progresses,” she said.
Overnight road closures allowed the project team to safely install the first beam, minimising disruption to local traffic and allowing trains to continue running along the Cranbourne line.
The temporary road closures also allowed preparations for future beam installations on either side of the road, with a gantry crane helping to lift the beams into place on top of concrete columns.
The new rail bridge design is the same Australian-first method being used on several level crossing removal projects across the state.
In total, 30 L-shaped concrete segments up to 31 metres long will be transported overnight to the Abbotts Road site.
A crane will lift them into place and they’ll be joined together in pairs to form the U-trough viaducts that trains will eventually run inside.
Ms Williams said the boom gates would be gone later this year.
For disruption information, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au.
