Tara Murray
Work is ramping up on the Robinsons Road level crossing removal in Deer Park.
Three big rigs are set to start digging deep at Robinsons Road next week in the first steps towards a new rail bridge.
A three-day around the clock construction blitz between May 14 and 16 will see crews work on drilling foundations in the rail corridor, with 100-tonne piling rigs at the centre of the action.
These piling works will enable Robinsons Road to stay open when excavation under the rail line begins mid-2021.
Buses will replace trains on the Geelong and Ballarat lines over those three days. Robinsons Road will be closed between Quinn Street and Hatchlands Drive between May 13 and 17, with traffic management and temporary detours in place.
Currently, boom gates in Deer Park can be down for up to 45 per cent of the morning peak.
In January, timetable updates saw the number of services on the Geelong and Ballarat lines increase, meaning boom gates are down more frequently.
Works are also unde rway at nearby Fitzgerald Road level crossing, which is also being removed
A temporary site office is being built and early investigation works are continuing.
Kororoit MP Marlene Kairouz visited the Robinsons Road site last week.
“The community is thanked for their patience during these rail and road closures, which will pave the way for the next major milestone starting in mid-2021 – digging under the rail line and building a road underpass that will separate trains and vehicles for good,” she said.
“These crossings are a relic of the past and have absolutely no place in our suburbs – it is time for them to go.”
