A milestone was met in the month of June, with 25 of Melbourne’s most dangerous level crossings gone for good and 14 new train stations becoming operational.

After an intensive construction blitz, the final four level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong have now been removed with trains running on the final section of elevated rail. In addition to the crossing removals at Murrumbeena, Grange, Koornang and Poath roads, new stations are operational at Murrumbeena, Carnegie and Frankston. More works will continue over the coming months to ensure the completion of these stations.

Works are steadily progressing on the Cranbourne and Frankston Line. The Level Crossing at Thompsons road, Lynhurst was removed and a new road bridge has opened. At Frankston the Skye/Overton Road Rail bridge has also opened.

Since the beginning of the Level Crossing Removal Scheme more than 23 Million man hours have been completed with the project creating over 3400 jobs for Engineers, Signal Operators and Labourers. So far more than 590,000 square metres of Rock and Soil have been removed and more than 369km of Rail signal cabling has been removed or installed.

The halfway mark of the level crossing removal program is also an important moment to remember why it is vital to get rid of these level crossings. Between 2005 and 2015 twenty people lost their lives at the dangerous level crossings that are now being removed, more than 60 collisions occurred and approximately 680 near misses.

Overall the Level Crossing Removal Project is on track to have over 28 Level Crossings removed by the end of 2018 and a further 14 train stations will be completed. This will see Melbourne communities being able to make their daily commute more efficient and safer.