The Level Crossing Removal project is Australia’s largest public transport infrastructure initiative and Victoria’s most complex rail upgrade in decades. Over the next eight years, 50 dangerous and congested level crossings across Melbourne will be removed.
Jamie Green, WSP Major Project Executive and Design Manager led the group on a tour of the of Murrumbeena Station, in Melbourne’s south-east. Rebuilding the station and lifting it to a height of 1.8 m, this section of the project also includes:
- Stairs, escalators and two lifts to improve accessibility and pedestrian flow
- Two station access points
- Large sections of covered platform
- Ambulant accessible public toilets for commuters during station operation hours
- Baby change facilities for use during station operation hours
- Hearing loops in waiting areas and on platforms
- Commuter parking including disability parking and several drop-off zones
- Parkiteer facilities (secure bicycle parking cages) and bicycle hoops, located close to shared use paths and station entrances
- New bus bays and taxi ranks
- CCTV cameras and state-of-the-art Protective Service Officer (PSO) facilities
- New public information displays.
Mr Green says, “With mobility underpinning the impact of urbanisation, it was a great opportunity to show Mr Firth and Mr Powell, the level of innovation and sophistication of this project. On site were two gantry cranes, each 30m high and 40m wide assembling concrete segments into spans as well as the Australian rail industry first – straddle carrier.
Larger than an Olympic-sized swimming pool, the straddle carrier lift, shifts and sets down concrete spans whilst trains continue to run on the Cranbourne to Pakenham line, therefore keeping disruption to a minimum. The straddle carrier will continue to move along the line from Murrumbeena station to Carnegie and Hughesdale in the other direction.