What we achieved during the winter works

Over the last couple of weeks works ramped up on the Heatherdale Level Crossing Removal Project.

The temporary closure of Heatherdale Road and the Belgrave/Lilydale rail line enabled the team to work throughout the day and night to complete critical works.

During the closures, bridge foundations, drainage works, temporary modifications to the existing station, under rail cabling, rail embankment excavation and stabilisation and water-main modifications were completed.

The project team of 300 worked over 14,000 hours around the clock. Everyone pulled together with a real team spirit to ensure the important works were completed on time.

Behind the scenes, our traffic management, community engagement and call centre teams worked 24/7 to assist the community and keep them safe at all times.

The community plays an important role in the successful delivery of a project such as this. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation during these works. Special thanks to the businesses along Heatherdale Road that remained open during the works and commuters who gave the bus a go.

Please stop and say hello if you see us around the neighbourhood.

What's next?

Upcoming works include:

• excavation and construction of walking and cycling path retaining wall
• installation of the station lift shaft and concourse structural steel
• construction of the southern platform and Cochrane Street bridge foundations
• concrete pouring for station lift pit, ramps and concourse
• installation of the modular station buildings
• embankment excavation, soil nail and shotcrete
• underground cabling from Eastlink to Ringwood Station.

In late December rail and road closures will be required again over a 4 week period to complete major works including lowering the rail line, bridge construction, removing the level crossing and opening of the new station.

The overall project will be complete in mid 2017.

Check out our image of the progress during the 9 day shut down of the rail line and the 2 week road closure on our Facebook page.

Lego

While these works were happening, over 2000 children and adults were busy with their own construction activities at the Heatherdale Road level crossing removal project LEGO® play and learn community exhibition at Eastland Shopping Centre.

Over the 4 day exhibit community members were able to speak to project staff, view the new LEGO® station model, complete with operating trains, learn more about the project from the information gallery and build their own LEGO® models.

Key statistics

Activities completed included:

• running of up to 138 buses to replace hundreds of train services and move 165,000 customers daily
• bulk excavation and removal of almost 2,000m³ of soil
• pouring of approximately 120m³ of concrete
• installation of 10 tonnes of structural steel
• drilling 192 soil nails and spraying 400m² of shotcrete
• laying of 2500m² road pavement and 300 tonnes of asphalt.