Construction crews are wrapping up work on the Mt Derrimut Road level crossing removal as they put the finishing touches on the new Deer Park Station precinct.
The level crossing was removed in April with a new rail bridge installed to ease congestion and improve safety for local drivers.
The Level Crossing Removal Project crews then continued work on the elevated Deer Park Station, bus interchange, with 150 new and upgraded car parks, and more than 50,000 trees, plants and shrubs planted to create a new transport hub in the heart of the suburb.
Powered by 121 solar panels, the improved bus interchange is said to make it easier and safer for commuters, delivering a seamless connection between buses and trains at Deer Park Station.
Up to 93 bus services will use the interchange and new signalised intersection onto Mt Derrimut Road every weekday.
The new and upgraded car parks were funded by the state government’s Car Parks For Commuters program, and include better lighting, pedestrian paths and CCTV. The upgrades bring the total number of car parks to 550.
The station precinct also includes ramp and lift access to both platforms, and landscaped forecourts on both sides of the rail line which are connected by a pedestrian walkway, plus an air-conditioned waiting room that will provide shelter from the weather for local commuters.
In a Victorian first, the station also features two rooftop gardens on the station buildings. The additional greenery aims to help reduce the heat island effect of the surrounding buildings.
Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Project said the Mt Derrimut Road boom gates were down for up to 60 per cent of the morning peak, causing traffic chaos for the 23,000 vehicles that passed through every day.
