The removal of the dangerous and congested level crossings at Union Road, Surrey Hills and Mont Albert Road, Mont Albert is powering ahead, with a contract awarded, enhanced designs with more open space unveiled and early works to start soon.
Following extensive community feedback, the designs for the new premium station and precinct have been enhanced and will include a widened pedestrian bridge that will form a small plaza connecting Beresford Street and the Hamilton Street shopping village.
This will create even more open space and a home for the existing Mont Albert station building, which will be retained for community use close to its current location.
In another win for the community, the project will also include the construction of a new entrance at Montrose Street, providing better local access to the station and new open space with landscaping, as well as improved ramps with increased accessibility and fewer stairs.
The premium station will provide more trains, more often for commuters from Surrey Hills, Mont Albert and surrounds, and will be staffed from the first train in the morning until the last train in the evening.
Community feedback has been a central part in shaping the designs of the level crossing removals and the new station, with more than 5000 pieces of feedback received and taken into account during the planning and design process.
The $631 million contract has been awarded to Laing O'Rourke, Jacobs, Metro Trains Melbourne in partnership with the Level Crossing Removal Project and will see the project fast-tracked – with the two dangerous and congested level crossings gone for good and the new premium station open in 2023, two years ahead of schedule.
Early works will start this month, including upgrading water infrastructure, moving underground services and setting up site offices, with crews on the ground in the coming days. Major construction will start next year.
