- Minister for Transport Infrastructure
Safety and reliability have been boosted for commuters in Melbourne's west, thanks to the removal of another dangerous and congested level crossing along the Werribee line.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan today celebrated the opening of the new Aviation Road bridge months ahead of schedule, removing the Laverton level crossing - the 30th crossing to go under the Andrews Labor Government's Level Crossing Removal Project.
Around 140 passenger and freight trains that use the line each day can now travel safely underneath the bridge, while road users will never again be left frustrated by delays where the boom gates used to be closed for more than half the two-hour morning peak.
With the crossing now gone for good, drivers will benefit from more reliable journeys to homes, local shops and the Princes Freeway. The new bridge features a pedestrian walkway and dedicated bike lanes, with a new road connection that maintains access to the local Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base.
The former level crossing is now closed to vehicles, however pedestrians will still be able to access nearby Aircraft Station via the existing pedestrian crossing, which will also benefit from an upgrade as part of the final stage of works.
Other works to come include creating a new shared-use path along Maher Road and landscaping around the area.
Further along the line, community consultation has recently taken place on designs to remove the level crossings at Old Geelong Road, Cherry Street and Werribee Street. Banishing these three sets of boom gates will mean there will be no level crossing on Metro lines in Wyndham, and people in this fast-growing community will be better connected. All three crossings will be gone in 2022.
The Aviation Road level crossing is the second to go on the Werribee line – across Melbourne, 30 level crossings have been removed and 75 will be gone for good by 2025.
Visit levelcrossings.vic.gov.au for more information and to sign up for email updates.
As stated by Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan
"Reaching a total of 30 level crossings gone for good is exciting, but we know there is more to do and we're not slowing down with our program to remove 75 level crossings across Melbourne."
"The removal of this level crossing means a safer, more reliable journey for both road and rail users travelling through the Laverton area."
As stated by Member for Altona, Jill Hennessy
"There has been a huge amount of work undertaken over the last year to remove this level crossing and transform the area, with more improvements to come including landscaping."
"I'd like to thank both the project team for their hard work to date and the community for their patience - the end result will provide benefits for the community and commuters well into the future."
