Major works to start at Watsons Road

Work to make Diggers Rest level crossing free has taken another step forward[1] with crews set to start major works at Watsons Road[2] from next month. Level crossings at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road, Diggers Rest are being removed by building two new road bridges that will increase safety and improve travel times for the growing community. To safely build the new road bridge, Watsons Road will close at the level crossing from 7am, Tuesday 19 November until late 2025.

Detours and traffic management will be in place and our team has been in contact with locals to assist them during this time. From 9pm, Wednesday 4 December to the last service, Thursday 12 December, buses will replace trains on sections of the Sunbury Line. Buses will also replace trains on sections of the Bendigo, Swan Hill and Echuca lines during this time.

For more information visit our disruptions page[3]. During this time, crews will work around the clock to remove the boom gates at Watsons Road, install T beams at Old Calder Highway, undertake track and signalling work, and upgrade services in the rail corridor. The road bridge at Watsons Road will include a separated pedestrian path and future proofing to provide connections between future developments north of Diggers Rest.

The road bridge at Old Calder Highway has already started to take shape, with retaining walls installed and supports now in place for the road bridge, which will permanently separate vehicles and trains in the heart of Diggers Rest. More than 8000 vehicles use the 2 Diggers Rest level crossings every day, with 27 trains travelling through the boom gates during the morning peak, creating 36 minutes of boom gate down time. Removing them will take the Sunbury Line one step closer to being level crossing free in 2025.

Together with the Metro Tunnel[4], the projects will allow more trains, more often for commuters in Melbourne's north-west.

In total 110 level crossings are being removed across Melbourne by 2030, with 84 already gone for good.

References

1. ^ another step forward (www.railexpress.com.au)
2. ^ Watsons Road (bigbuild.vic.gov.au)
3. ^ visit our disruptions page (bigbuild.vic.gov.au)
4. ^ Metro Tunnel (bigbuild.vic.gov.au)