The upgrade covers 8km of the Cranbourne Line and is set to use in excess of 16,000 sleepers and 22km of steel rail.
Transport Infrastructure Minister, Jacinta Allan said the current works will make it possible to run trains every 10 minutes. This, combined with new larger trains and the Metro Tunnel, will boost weekly peak hour passenger numbers by 121,000 across the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines. She added:
“We’re getting on with the massive Cranbourne Line Upgrade, delivering more frequent services and removing its last four level crossings – making it Melbourne’s first level crossing-free train line.”
Meanwhile, work on nearby Merinda Park Station's reconstruction is expected to kick off in August. To provide ongoing services for locals, the project will be undertaken in stages.
The minister said that following community feedback, updates to the railway station's design had been implemented to provide for improved accessibility by relocating the taxi zone closer to rail commuters and adding two lifts. The design also includes sheltered waiting areas, stairs, ramps and lifts for easy access to platforms and a new underpass for pedestrians. When creating new concepts such as this, graphic design is regularly used to give interested parties a glimpse of what the completed project will look like.
The duplication work on the Cranbourne Line is scheduled to be complete by 2023.