Dandenong's new road is open

Built as part of the Webster Street level crossing removal project, the new road underpass opened on Tuesday 22 September, reducing congestion, delivering a more reliable road network for Dandenong and marking the removal of the 96th level crossing across Melbourne.

The 450m road underpass extends Cheltenham Road to provide a direct east-west connection between Princes Highway-Lonsdale Street and Cheltenham and Hammond roads for the first time, improving traffic flow and helping divert trucks and heavy vehicles away from local streets and Dandenong’s CBD.

The walls of the underpass are painted in five unique colours including vibrant greens, reds and yellows to reflect Dandenong's diverse and colourful character.

Last year we closed Webster Street at the level crossing and opened the new walking and cycling path in Woodcock Reserve, linking with the Dandenong Creek Trail and connecting locals to Dandenong's CBD.

A hand-painted mural by artist Angharad Neal-Williams is the newest addition to the walking and cycling path, located beneath the rail bridge over Dandenong Creek.

Project benefits

• Improves safety, reduces congestion and creates a more reliable road network for Dandenong.
• Reroutes traffic away from Dandenong’s CBD.
• Prepares the area for future development.
• Boom gates gone at Webster Street saving travel time for 10,000 vehicles.
• Greater Dandenong and Cranbourne and Pakenham lines level crossing free.

Thank you Dandenong

To thank the community for their patience during construction and to celebrate the opening of the new road underpass, we held a community celebration on Sunday 20 September.

Thanks to everyone who joined us to walk through the new underpass and to enjoy live local music, dance performances and family fun activities in Dandenong Park.

Say hello to Dandenong's new artwork

Hand painted artwork by artist Angharad Neal-Williams is the newest addition to Woodcock Reserve and across Dandenong.

Located along the walking and cycling path under the rail bridge in Woodcock Reserve, Ways of Wandering is a mural celebrating the ways green spaces and the natural environment bring communities closer together.

Working with the Dandenong community to explore themes of nature, togetherness, and community, Angharad's artwork captures the way green spaces connect us to nature and each other.

Angharad Neal-Williams hand painted artwork also features on signal boxes and electrical cabinets on the corner of Dow Court and Princes Highway-Lonsdale Street and Cheltenham Road and Hammond Road.

For more information, read the Webster Street community artwork fact sheet.

Greener Greater Dandenong

We’ve planted 30,000 native trees, shrubs and grasses in the project area.

Planting and landscaping for the project was shaped by community feedback, with many people telling us they wanted to see native and indigenous planting.

The species we planted were chosen to support habitat connectivity while increasing diversity with additional native species.

Using native plants celebrates local biodiversity and will ensure new plants are best placed to thrive in the surrounding climate and soil conditions.

For more information, read the Webster Street planting and landscaping fact sheet.

Road network changes in Dandenong

With the new underpass open, there are new ways to move around Dandenong.

The new underpass is an extension of Cheltenham Road, connecting Princes Highway-Lonsdale Street in the east to Cheltenham and Hammond roads in the west.

The section of Webster Street east of the rail line has been named Dow Court in honour of Pat Dow.

Cheltenham Road between Foster Street and Hammond Road is left-out only into the new road. This section is named Merle Parade in honour of Merle Mitchell AM.

To read more about changes to Dandenong’s road network and the new road names, read the changes to how you move around Dandenong fact sheet.

Behind the barriers

Check out how we built the new road underpass by visiting our Webster Street image galleries.

Project timeline

2018

• Project announced

2020 to late 2023

• Site investigations, traffic surveys and planning works

November 2023

• Concept designs released
• Community consultation
• Site investigations continue

Late 2024

• Final designs released
• Early works

2025

• Construction starts
• Walking and cycling path under the rail line opens
• Boom gates gone for good
• Webster Street closed at the level crossing

2026

• Construction
• New road underpass open Tuesday 22 September
• Landscaping
• Cranbourne and Pakenham lines level crossing free

2027

• Project complete

* Timeline subject to change.