We’re removing the dangerous and congested level crossing at Buckley Street, Essendon, by building a road underpass beneath the railway line, creating better traffic flow and a safer community.

Work updateWith Buckley Street closed during August and September, the project team was able to work around the clock to achieve some massive milestones:

boom gates removed

road and rail bridge decks poured

service roads completed

Russell Street central underpass entrance opened

Buckley Street road underpass excavated up to the rail bridge.

In September, the team has excavated under the rail and put the finishing touches on the road underpass. This

included asphalting, installing lights and gutters. By the end of the month, drivers, pedestrians and cyclists using Buckley Street will no longer need to wait at a level crossing.

By the end of September the project team will have:

• excavated over 20,000 tonnes of soil to create the new road underpass

• poured 7,000 tonnes of asphalt

• worked over 52,000 hours.

Thank youThe final major disruption for Craigieburn rail line finished on 10 September. During this time, we moved almost 240,000 passengers. At the end of the month, Buckley Street will also reopen to traffic after 52 days.

We understand that this work can be disruptive, and we want to thank everyone for their patience while we work to remove the level crossing by the end of September.

LEVEL CROSSING REMOVAL UPDATE

BUCKLEY STREET ESSENDON

SEPTEMBER 2018

You’re invited to a special sneak peek walk-through of the road underpass.

On Thursday 27 September from 5pm to 6pm, you’re welcome to walk through the new Buckley Street road underpass and service road leading to Rose Street, before the underpass officially opens to traffic.

Visit levelcrossings.vic.gov.au for details.

Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

SIGN UP FOR PROJECT UPDATES levelcrossings.vic.gov.au

Say YESsendon and you’re winning Since July, we’ve had hundreds of people saying ‘yes’ to shopping local. They’re all saying ‘YESsendon’!

Dozens of local shoppers have won weekly prizes, and our major prize winner won a stack of vouchers, treatments and treats from a range of businesses in the area.

Some of our winners simply entered the competition by sticking to their regular shopping routines and others took part in YESsendon by shopping locally while checking out construction works.

So even though the competition may have ended, you can continue to ‘Say YESsendon’ to support your local traders.

Remember, works are on and shops are open!

Meet Wiko, our crossing supervisor If you’re local to the area, you’ll recognise Wiko.

Wiko is the crossing supervisor on Rose Street, helping the hundreds of students heading to and from school every day.

Always there to meet you with a friendly greeting, Wiko prides himself on keeping the local community safe when crossing the road, and loves being able to make new friends.

When the LXRA began work in Essendon, Wiko visited the team at the Info Hub and asked to be part of it since he’d been the crossing supervisor prior to construction. We gladly accepted!

When asked how he copes being outside in the Melbourne winter, there was a big smile.

‘I love the cold,’ he laughs.

‘Although I do have to watch people more carefully when it rains. But I think the project is going to make it safer for pedestrians when it’s finished,’ he said.

So, next time you’re nearby, make sure you say hello to Wiko at the Rose Street pedestrian crossing!

Building the road underpass was a complicated and challenging task which involved a number of carefully planned stages.

Firstly, the bridge deck over the top of the underpass had to be built, which involved removing the railway track, sleepers and ballast. Once this was built, it had to cure for several days before excavators could dig underneath

and put the drainage system under the road.

Following this, the road barriers and architectural panels along the road underpass were installed. A box culvert for electrical equipment for the trains was then constructed, before the lighting along the road and underneath the bridge was installed. The final steps were asphalting and line marking - and the new underpass is ready for traffic.

QUICK GUIDE: BUILDING THE ROAD UNDERPASS

WALKING TOURS Our site walking tours were a massive hit in September, with all five tours sold out. The project team and field experts took participants to viewing points and explained key components of the complex project, including the design and construction processes, heritage approvals and landscaping plans.

Building the bridge deck.

Digging the underpass.

Installing the panels.

St Martha’s Café 123 Buckley Street, Essendon

After working as head chef for more than a decade, Kamal Parekh is bringing a new brand of modern Australian cuisine to Essendon.

‘Our menu has flavours from everything that makes up modern Australia – Indian, Lebanese, Japanese – not to mention a range of healthy options,’ Kamal explains.

Their all-day breakfast has everything to kick-start your day with home-made granola, shakshuka and, of course, the traditional eggs and bacon.

For lunch, choose anything from sushi bowls andsalads to their mouth-watering wagyu burger.

‘Our signature dish is the protein-packed pancake. Whether you want a

nutritious meal following a workout or simply a super tasty breakfast – this is the dish for you,’ says Kamal.

In addition to your regular caffeine hits from Axil Roasters Coffee, there are a range of juices and smoothies, including ‘Green energy’ with kale, avocado, green apple, banana, chia and coconut water.

St Martha’s is open from 6.30am to 4.00pm every day, so pop in and say hi to Kamal and the team for breakky, lunch or something in between.

Project timeline

June 2018Piling work start

Major services relocation

Drainage works in Russell Street

July 2018Installation of permanent barriers along service road

Construction of service roads

Relocation of Protective Services Officers' building

Start of station underpass works

August 2018Boom gates removed

Construction of road bridge

Station underpass work

Excavation of the road underpass

September 2018Excavation of the road underpass

Construction of rail bridge

Installation of architectural panels on the underpass

Station underpass works

Landscaping

Road underpass open

October – December 2018Minor road works

Landscaping

Station underpass works

Early 2019Works completed

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CONTACT UScontact@levelcrossings.vic.gov.au1800 105 105 Level Crossing Removal Authority GPO Box 4509, Melbourne VIC 3001

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