ALP announces four level crossing removals in Pakenham
The ALP announced that Pakenham will see a lot of level crossing removal love if the Andrews Government are re-elected with 4 level crossings set to be removed through a combination of elevated railway and a new road bridge.
Cardinia Road to the east of Pakenham's main centre will 'likely' see a road bridge constructed over the railway corridor according to an ALP media release and a new almost 3km long elevated section of track will be constructed to remove the three level crossings around Pakenham station.
Pakenham station itself will be rebuilt and the ALP are dubbing it a "super-station [that] will mean a dedicated V/Line track and third platform to separate the regional and metropolitan trains at the new station."
"This will deliver a seamless interchange for passengers wanting to connect to the high-frequency services which will be serviced by the new, bigger High Capacity Metro Trains," according to an ALP media release.
From West to East, McGregor Road, Main Street and Racecourse Road are the three level crossings that will be removed through the construction of the new elevated track and station.
Clyde Road in Berwick, Hallam South Road in Hallam and the South Gippsland Highway have been on the initial list of 50 level crossing removal projects from day one and according to the ALP, those level crossings will be removed by 2022.
Wider context
It is not clear if the 3 initial Pakenham branch level crossings and the newly announced 4 level crossings will be completed at the same time.
Beyond the 7 identified level crossing removal sites on the Pakenham branch, there are still 6 which have not been identified for removal. They are located at Station Street in Officer, Brunt Road in Officer, Station Street in Beaconsfield, Webb Street in Narre Warren, Progress Street in Dandenong South and Webster Street east of Dandenong Station.
The Cranbourne branch of the Pakenham/Cranbourne line has two active level crossing removal projects (Abbots Road in Dandenong South and Thompsons Road in Cranbourne) and 3 level crossings remain without plans to remove them - potentially 4.
Shared with the Pakenham Branch, Webster Street east of Dandenong Station, Greens Road in Dandenong South, Camms Road just north of Cranbourne Station and Evans Road - should it be re-opened to traffic without a level crossings like the ALP have announced - are the last remaining level crossings on the Cranbourne branch.
Lead image credit: @crossingwatch on twitter.
