Moving Melton
Transport Prospectus 2022
Level Crossing Removals
Removing the level crossing at Hopkins Road, Trugannia will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak with up to 16 trains travelling through these crossings.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there were eight crashes in the project area, including two serious collisions and six injuries.
Congestion
Hopkins Road, at the level crossing, currently carries approximately 25,900 vehicles per day.
Solution
A new road bridge over rail will improve traffic flow and shared path will improve local connections
Economic benefits
Independent analysis by Clarity Consult found that the removal of the level crossing at Hopkins Road by 2026 would see total benefits of $27 million over 30 years.
* The Victorian Government has committed to removing the level crossing at Hopkins Road by 2026.
Hopkins Road, Truganina
• Artist’s render of completed project
Removal of the level crossing at Troups Road North, Rockbank will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are currently down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak while 16 trains pass through. The recent upgrade to the Ballarat Line allows an additional 125 trains a week through the crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there were no crashes in the project area.
Congestion
Troups Road North, at the level crossing, carries approximately 1,500 vehicles a day. The expectation is that this will fall as the road is expected to be truncated at the Western Highway as part of the Western Highway upgrade.
Solution
The level crossing at Troups Road North can be closed and residents can use the upgraded Leakes Road. This will be possible as Troups Road North will be truncated at the Western Highway
Troups Road North, Rockbank
Removal of the level crossing at Leakes Road, Rockbank will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are currently down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak while 16 trains pass through. The recent upgrade to the Ballarat Line allows an additional 125 trains a week through the crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there have been 6 crashes in the project area, including 2 serious collision and 8 injuries.
Congestion
Leakes Road, at the level crossing, carries approximately 9,000 vehicles a day and traffic modelling commissioned by Council indicate that this will increase to over 20,600 vehicles per day by 2031.
Solution
Leakes Road will be closed at the Ballarat Rail Line and a new arterial road, named Rockbank Road, will be grade separated from the Ballarat Rail Line and constructed from the Western Highway to the west of the future Rockbank town centre.
Leakes Road, Rockbank
• Artist’s render of the completed project
Removal of the level crossing at Paynes Road, Rockbank will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are currently down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak while 16 trains pass through. The recent upgrade to the Ballarat line allows an additional 125 trains a week through the crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there has been one crash in the project area.
Congestion
Paynes Road, at the level crossing, carries approximately 670 vehicles a day and traffic modelling commissioned by Council indicates that this will increase to over 9,300 vehicles per day by 2031.
Solution
A new road bridge over rail will improve traffic flow and shared path will improve local connections
Paynes Road, Rockbank
• Artist’s render of the completed project
Removal of the level crossing at Mount Cottrell Road, Rockbank will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are currently down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak while 16 trains pass through. The recent upgrade to the Ballarat line allows an additional 125 trains a week through the crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there have been two crashes in the project area, including one serious collision and one fatality.
Congestion
Mount Cottrell Road, at the level crossing, currently carries approximately 1,500 vehicles a day and traffic modelling commissioned by Council indicates that this will increase to over 9,300 vehicles per day by 2031.
Solution
A new road bridge over rail will improve traffic flow and shared path will improve local connections
Mount Cottrell Road, Rockbank
• Artist’s render of the completed project
Removal of the level crossing at Ferris Road, Cobblebank will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are currently down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak while 16 trains pass through. The recent upgrade to the Ballarat line allows an additional 125 trains a week through the crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there has been one crash in the project area.
Melton Hospital will be constructed in the Cobblebank Metropolitan Activity Centre to the south of the railway line. This level crossing needs to be removed so ambulances are not stuck at the boom gates.
Congestion
Ferris Road, at the level crossing, carries approximately 16,600 vehicles per day.
Solution
A new road bridge over rail will improve traffic flow and shared path will improve local connections
Economic benefits
Independent analysis by Clarity Consult found that the removal of the level crossing at Ferris Road by 2026 would see total benefits of $153 million over 30 years.
* The Victorian Government has committed to removing the level crossing at Ferris Road in a road over rail treatment with works starting in 2026.
Ferris Road, Cobblebank
• Artist’s render of completed project
Removal of the level crossing at Exford Road, Melton South will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are currently down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak while 16 trains pass through. The recent upgrade to the Ballarat Line allows an additional 125 trains a week through the crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there were 10 crashes in the project area, including four serious collisions and six injuries.
Congestion
Exford Road, at the level crossing, currently carries approximately 15,700 vehicles a day and traffic modelling commissioned by Council indicates that this will increase to over 16,600 vehicles per day by 2031.
Solution
Grade separation and replacement of the current aged Melton Station will offer improved accessibility for rail passengers, and a new shared-use path will improve local connections and provide a link to the Toolern Creek shared path
Economic benefits
Independent analysis by Clarity Consult found that the removal of the level crossing at Station Road/Exford Road by 2026 would see total benefits of $11 million over 30 years. This includes the saving of 23,760 hours of travel time and 26 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
* The Victorian Government has committed to removing the level crossing at Exford Road and Coburns Road with a rail trench and rebuild the Melton Station by 2026.
Station Road/Exford Road, Melton South
• Traffic projections at 2041 before and after completion of the project
• Artist’s render of completed project
Removal of the level crossing at Coburns Rd, Melton South will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are currently down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak while 16 trains pass through. The recent upgrade to the Ballarat Line allows an additional 125 trains a week through the crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there were two crashes in the project area, including one serious collision and one injury.
Congestion
Coburns Road, at the level crossing, carries approximately 12,800 vehicles per day and traffic modelling commissioned by Council indicates that this will increase to over 17,000 vehicles per day by 2031.
Solution
Grade separation will improve traffic flow and a new shared path will improve local connections
Economic benefits
Independent analysis by Clarity Consult found that the removal of the level crossing at Coburns Road by 2026 would see total benefits of $24 million over 30 years.
* The Victorian Government has committed to removing the level crossing at Coburns Road and Exford Road with a rail trench and rebuild Melton Station by 2026.
Coburns Road, Melton South
• Artist’s render of completed project
Removal of the level crossing at Old Calder Hwy, Diggers Rest will improve safety, reduce congestion and allow more trains, more often.
Boom gates are down for up to 36 minutes of the morning peak when up to 27 trains travel through this crossing.
Safety
In the five-year period between 2015 and 2019 (pre-COVID), there was one serious crash in the project area.
Congestion
Old Calder Highway, at the level crossing, carries approximately 8,000 vehicles per day and traffic modelling commissioned by Council indicates that this will increase to over 14,000 vehicles per day by 2031.
Solution
Grade separation will improve traffic flow and a new shared path will improve local connections.
* The Victorian Government has committed to removing the level crossing at Old Calder Highway with a road bridge by 2025.