Early concept designs released

The Victorian Government is investing more than $4 billion in the Frankston line to improve safety, reduce congestion and allow for more trains to run more often.

We’re removing the dangerous and congested Warrigal Road and Parkers Road level crossings by raising the rail line over the two roads and building a new Parkdale Station.

As part of the project, we’re creating new community open space, including new trees and greenery, community gathering places and sporting and recreational facilities for the community to enjoy.

We've released early concept designs for the new station precinct and open space. Community feedback has helped shape the early designs and we thank everyone for their input. Concept designs have been released for the new Parkdale Station precinct and open space. Early concept designs only.

Why these level crossings need to go

• About 20,000 vehicles travel through these crossings each day
• Boom gates are down for up to 44 minutes of the morning peak
• 34 trains during the morning peak

Project features

• A new Parkdale Station
• New open space designed with community input
• Better and safer transport networks
• Safer and connected communities
• A greener rail corridor
• Two level crossings gone

New station precinct and open space designs

We’ve released early concept designs for the new station precinct and open space, incorporating feedback we’ve heard from the community.

The early designs showcase a station precinct and open space that has been designed to complement Parkdale’s

vibrant shopping strip, including the creation of a new village green – a community space with gathering places, pathways, landscaping and greenery.

The village green will connect the east and west sides of Parkdale and provide a valuable new community heart for the suburb.

The elevated rail will be a single bridge design. This will allow for the creation of larger areas of green space on either side of the rail line, with more room for trees and landscaping, and places for the community to enjoy. The new open space will become a linear park, linking with the valued Bradshaw Reserve, providing the opportunity for new community spaces. Community input will help determine the mix of native and European planting to provide leafy canopies and reflect the existing local identity of the area, as well as provide important habitat for local wildlife.

In the coming months, we’ll continue to refine these designs with further community input, with refined designs available later this year.

New Parkdale Station

The new Parkdale Station has been designed to be a focal point for the precinct, drawing on the Bayside character of the local area for inspiration.

The new station has been moved approximately 75 metres towards Mentone to create the new village green and more open space for the community to enjoy. This new area will also connect the shopping strips on Como Parade East and West.

Parkdale Station will still be a local station, but with modern facilities, improved access, and better connections to the nearby shops and community services.

What we heard from you

Between November 2021 and March 2022, we asked you to share your ideas and feedback on the new station precinct and open space being created as part of the project.

We received more than 1000 valuable pieces of feedback via online surveys, community information sessions and our contact centre.

For information about how your feedback has shaped the designs to date, visit: levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/parkdale-earlyconcept-designs

New open space – what we heard

• Trees, plants and greenery – around half of survey respondents want to see new trees, plants and greenery in most, two-thirds or half of the new open space.
• Community spaces – locals would like to see open grassed areas, gathering spaces and community facilities in around a quarter or a fifth of the new area.
• Car parking – almost half of respondents would like ‘a small amount’ or ‘minimal’ car parking in the new open space.
• Play spaces – people would like to see nature-based play areas, with a focus on natural design and materials.
• Sporting facilities – there was a preference for a basketball half court and open-air gym in the new open space.
• Recreational facilities – people would like to see a village square, followed by barbecue and picnic areas to enjoy with friends and family.
• Cultural facilities – there was a preference for a heritage trail and children's garden to enhance the open space.

Community information sessions

Thank you to everyone who attended our virtual and face-to-face community information sessions in June.

A total of 170 people attended the sessions and we received great feedback on the new station precinct and open space, as well as the concept designs.

Community feedback will help shape our refined designs, which will be released later this year.

View the new designs and complete the survey.

Help us shape the new station precinct and open space

To help us refine the early project designs, we’d like to hear from you.

We are now seeking feedback on aspects of the new station precinct and open space, including:

• overall look and feel
• landscaping and seating options
• early plans for the new open space
• new station precinct materials
• ideas and inspiration for public art

Get involved

Your feedback will help us refine the designs.

Complete our design feedback survey by 11.59 Sunday 17 July.

Site investigations continue

Since early 2022, our project team has been out and about conducting site investigations.

These investigations help us understand more about the local area and support design development. So far, we’ve completed:

• groundwater and soil investigations, which provide valuable information about ground conditions
• day and night-time flora and fauna inspections and surveys, to understand more about the trees, animals and vegetation in the area
• traffic and parking surveys, which allow us to understand traffic patterns, local parking use and potential impacts on the broader transport network
• other visual site inspections, including feature surveying and heritage inspections.

Various site investigations will continue until the end of the year as we prepare for construction in 2023.

Open Space Advisory Panel bus tour

Parkdale Open Space Advisory Panel members took a bus tour of newly completed level crossing removal projects in April.

The tour showcased recently completed level crossing removal projects at Carnegie, Rosanna and Moreland stations. Panel members were able to view the elevated rail designs and open space created as part of the projects, including new stations, new community facilities and planting and landscaping.

Project experts, including landscape designers, architects and engineers, spoke about the different designs and how each new station precinct had been designed for its local context.

The tour allowed panel members to gather ideas and inspiration for the Parkdale open space design. The panel will continue to meet throughout 2022 as we refine the designs.

To keep up to date with panel discussions, read our online meeting summaries.

Planned project timeline

Mid 2022

• Early concept designs released
• Community engagement sessions
• Open Space Advisory Panel meetings continue
• Site investigations continue

Late 2022

• Refined designs released
• Community engagement sessions
• Stakeholder Liaison Group nominations

Early to mid 2023

• Start of works
• Final designs released
• Stakeholder Liaison Group meetings begin

2024

• Level crossing gone
• New Parkdale Station open

2025

• Project completion
• Timeline above subject to change