By CASEY NEILL
THE deadly Abbotts Road level crossing will be gone by 2019, the State Government has announced.
Committee for Dandenong chairman Gary Castricum welcomed the news on Sunday 29 November, which followed years of campaigning from the group.
“We’ve managed to take it from where it didn’t appear on any list to actually getting a target date for it,” he said.
More than 23,000 vehicles use the intersection every day.
“It would be nice if it was next year – there’s a lot of people who spend a lot of time sitting there, waiting there,” Mr Castricum said.
“It can’t be quick enough.”
A train derailed at the level crossing in 2012 following a collision with a truck, killing one man and injuring dozens more people.
This followed another death at the intersection five years earlier.
The City of Greater Dandenong has started work on a $5.5 million duplication of Abbotts Road, due to be completed in May next year.
Mr Castricum said the Committee for Dandenong would continue to advocate for an overpass linking the two sides of Remington Drive.
“It really forms a part of the puzzle,” he said.
“We’re getting a good reception. The council is keen for it as well.
“We’ll keep working to try and bring that about.
“We’re hopeful we’ll see some type of commitment to fund that.”
Planning is underway to remove the level crossings at Corrigan, Heatherton and Chandler roads in Noble Park.
The South Gippsland Highway crossing is on the list of 50 to be removed by 2022.
