By Gabriella Payne
Thousands of residents in Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs can expect faster and safer commuter journeys in the not-too-distant future, as the Victorian government is set to award a contract to remove the Hallam Road level crossing and build a new, upgraded Hallam station.
Each morning, the boom gates at the hazardous Hallam Road level crossing are down for almost a third of the two-hour morning peak period, delaying approximately 20,000 vehicles each day.
On top of that, there have been 14 near-miss collisions at the crossing over the past 10 years.
The proposed changes will see a rail bridge built in place of the level crossing, allowing traffic to continue to flow under the busy train line, improving safety and congestion for both vehicles and pedestrians.
Member for Narre Warren North, Luke Donnellan, said that the new elevated station was a fantastic project that would help ease traffic, provide better public transport facilities for locals and improve pedestrian connections between Cranbourne, Spring Square and Hampton Park Town Centre.
“With a contract set to be awarded this month we are not wasting a minute to get on with major construction to remove the dangerous level crossing and build a new Hallam Station for the growing community,” Mr Donnellan said.
The new station will feature many modern facilities for Hallam’s 2200 daily passengers to enjoy and after listening to community feedback, a dual entrance will be incorporated into the build, allowing for improved pedestrian and cycling connections around the station precinct.
Minister for transport infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, said that for Melbourne’s growing south east population, the removal of the level crossing will be beneficial to the local community and ensure that Hallam Road remains a key, flowing pathway between the South Gippsland
Highway, Princes Highway and Monash Freeway for years to come.“The Hallam Road upgrade and level crossing removals at Evans Road and Hallam Road are great examples of how we are getting on with the job and unlocking congestion in Melbourne’s booming south eastern suburbs,” Ms Allan said.
Construction will begin on the $248 million project in January 2021 through an alliance of Laing O’Rourke, Jacobs, Metro Trains Melbourne and the Level Crossing Removal project, creating 900 local full-time jobs at peak construction.
The Hallam Road level crossing removal and train station upgrades are set to be completed by 2022 and are part of the Victorian government’s $15 billion plans to improve the Pakenham line.
These improvements, together with the Metro Tunnel project and bigger trains, will allow room for an extra 121,000 passengers to commute via train each week during peak periods on the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, in a 45 percent boost.
This latest crossing removal and new elevated station will be complemented by the already completed Hallam Road upgrade and the removal of the Evans Road level crossing and reopening of the road, which reconnected the communities of Lyndhurst, Lynbrook and Cranbourne West for the first time in 15 years.
To learn more about the proposed works and upgrades for the Hallam Road level crossing, or any of Victoria’s other transport infrastructure projects, visit www.bigbuild.vic.gov.au
