12 December 2022
The big dig starts soon
A massive construction blitz is about to begin on one of the biggest engineering projects ever undertaken in Melbourne’s east, as we remove two dangerous and congested level crossings at Union Road and Mont Albert Road.
Thank you for your patience during this time.
Over the next few months, we’ll work day and night, seven days a week to dig a 1.3km rail trench, build a new premium station, and remove the dangerous boom gates for good.
As part of the construction blitz, buses will replace trains on sections of the Lilydale and Belgrave lines from Friday 17 February until late May.
Both Union Road and Mont Albert Road will also need to close at the level crossings until early May.
To help keep you moving during the works, a local shuttle bus service will connect both of the shopping precincts and carry locals across the rail corridor. The shuttle will also connect to rail replacement bus services.
We’ll reopen the 2 main roads in early May and by the end of May, trains will be running in the trench and stopping at the brand-new Union Station.
In preparation for the big dig, trains travelling towards Lilydale and Belgrave will not stop at Surrey Hills Station from Monday 30 January. A shuttle bus will be in operation between Chatham, Surrey Hills and Mont Albert stations.
Landscaping and finishing works will continue until late 2023.
Changes to the way you travel from 17 February 2023
- Mont Albert Station and Surrey Hills Station will permanently close
- Mont Albert Road and Union Road will be closed until early May
- Buses will replace trains on sections of the Belgrave and Lilydale lines until late May
- Other local streets around the rail corridor will be closed until late May
Aerial view looking towards Union Road
Major construction overview
Starting Friday 17 February until late May, we’ll finish building the new rail trench, and build the road bridges and new Union Station.
We’ll work around the clock during this time to:
- remove the old rail line, demolish Surrey Hills Station and carefully dismantle the Mont Albert Station building for storage and restoration
- complete the remaining piling and capping beam works to form the walls of the new rail trench
- excavate the trench and spray concrete onto the walls to fill in the gaps between the piles and form a consistent, flat wall
- install a concrete base slab, including drainage and small piles that secure the base slab in place
- install the new rail tracks, platforms and station buildings
- construct new road bridges at Union Road and Mont Albert Road
- build the decks for the new Union Road open space and Mont Albert Heritage Plaza.
By late May, we’ll have trains running in the trench and stopping at the new Union Station. We’ll then complete the remaining works, like the station car parks, pedestrian and cycling paths, new open spaces and landscaping.
The task ahead
To build the 10m deep and 1.3km long rail trench and brand-new Union station, we will:
- excavate more than 200,000m3 of soil - enough to fill 80 Olympic swimming pools
- pour 40,000m3 of concrete
- lay 5700m of new track
- install 2390m2 of station buildings and platforms
How to get around during construction
Removing these dangerous and congested level crossings is a massive job, and there will be changes to the way you travel and move around the area while we work 24/7 to get it done.
Here’s a summary of what these changes will mean for you.
| Mode of transport | Travel changes |
|---|---|
Drivers | Union Road and Mont Albert Road will be closed at the level crossings. If you usually drive through Mont Albert or Surrey Hills, you will be detoured via Elgar, Whitehorse, Balwyn and Canterbury roads. If you’re travelling to the area, Union Road and Mont Albert Road will remain open either side of the level crossings and access to the local shops will be maintained. Please take care when driving in construction zones and follow the detour signage and any instructions from traffic control staff. |
Pedestrians | Pedestrian access across the tracks at Union Road and Mont Albert Road will be closed most of the time. Pedestrians will be able to cross the rail corridor at Robinson Road in Surrey Hills and Creswick Lane at Mont Albert, both of which will be closed to vehicles. There will also be a local shuttle bus to help you get around the local area and access the shops. The bus stops will be clearly marked and will be located at Union Road and Mont Albert Road, close to the level crossings. We’ll also set up temporary pedestrian crossings near Mont Albert and Union roads when we can do so safely. |
Rail passengers | Buses will replace trains between Camberwell and Box Hill, and at some times between Camberwell and Ringwood. Rail replacement bus stops will be located close to each station. For Surrey Hills passengers, the rail replacement bus stop will be located on Canterbury Road in Surrey Hills and will connect with local shuttle services and train replacement bus services between Camberwell and Box Hill stations. For details and to plan your journey, visit the PTV website. |
Bus passengers (routes 612 and 766) | Bus stops close to the work areas will be closed. Passengers for the Route 612 bus will be able to catch the bus from the corner of Mont Albert Road and Union Road and from the corner of Canterbury Road and Union Road. Passengers for the Route 766 bus will be able to catch the bus near the corner of Mont Albert Road and Hamilton Street and from the corner of Union Road and Canterbury Road. |
View all current disruptions by visiting our disruptions page.
Progress in pictures
Workers building the foundations for the new prefabricated Union Station buildings
Prefabricated Union Station building is transported to site
Station building being craned into place
Worker helping to place the station building
Station building in place
Preserving over 130 years of local history
Mont Albert Station first opened in 1890 and has served as a local transport hub for 132 years.
The historic station building will be carefully dismantled in early 2023 at the start of the construction blitz.
It will then be transported to a storage facility where it will be repaired and restored to its former glory before returning to Mont Albert in late 2023.
The building’s new home will be on a new heritage plaza that will stretch over the new rail trench at the top of Hamilton Street, connecting Beresford Street and High Street to the Mont Albert Village.
Mont Albert Station
Thank you to more than 3500 loyal local shoppers
Thank you to the more than 3500 local shoppers who have signed up to the Stamp Me trader loyalty app.
Since the start of the program six months ago, residents and visitors have collected more than 22,000 stamps and redeemed over 5000 vouchers shopping at Mont Albert Village and Union Road traders.
Stamp Me works like a stamp card on your smart phone – collect stamps by making a minimum $10 purchase at a participating trader, and for every 5 stamps the Level Crossing Removal Project issues you with a $10 voucher to spend at the Union Road or Mont Albert Village shopping precincts.
So far, we have issued more than $50,000 worth of vouchers to local shoppers – and every dollar of every voucher redeemed goes to one of the participating local businesses.
Local shoppers are able to collect stamps and use vouchers with the almost 50 participating local businesses at Mont Albert Village and Union Road – including professional services, cafes, chemists, grocery stores, gift stores and more.
Signing up is easy: download the Stamp Me app and click the '+' icon to search for Mont Albert Village Traders and Union Road Surrey Hills.
Stay up to date
To receive updates on our works, sign up to our email or text message subscriber lists.
To register for text message updates text 'UMA' to 0459 067 028.
Sign up to our email updates by scanning the QR code or visiting our website.
Prefabricated station building being lifted into place for the new Union Station
Project timeline
Early 2021
- First phase of community consultation completed
Mid 2021
- Updated designs released
- Ongoing community engagement
- Design enhancements released
- Contract award announced
- Early works begin
Early 2022
- Major construction begins
- Final designs released
Early 2023
- The big dig begins
Mid 2023
- Level crossings gone for good
- New Union Station open
- Landscaping and finishing works
The timeline above is subject to change.