Final designs for Macleod's new rail bridge

We're removing the dangerous and congested level crossing at Ruthven Street, Macleod by building a rail bridge over the road.

We're also building a new walking and cycling path along Ellesmere Parade from Ruthven Street to Davies Street. With this brand new connection, locals will be able to enjoy over 2kms of walking and cycling paths from Macleod to Rosanna.

A new signalised and raised pedestrian crossing near the rail bridge will provide safer, more direct connections for everyone crossing Ruthven Street.

Final designs of the new rail bridge, landscaping and native plantings, walking and cycling path, new community space in Rosanna Parklands and signalised pedestrian crossing have been released. These designs were shaped by community feedback.

Removing the level crossing will improve safety, reduce congestion and deliver more reliable travel times.

New weekend services have been added on the Hurstbridge Line with trains every 20 minutes to Eltham and services from Clifton Hill to the city every 10 minutes.

Early works are underway and construction will start later this year, with the boom gates gone for good and the trains running on the new bridge next year.

Why this level crossing needs to go:

• About 12,600 vehicles travel through this level crossing each day
• Boom gates are down for nearly half an hour of the morning peak (7am to 9am)
• Up to 28 trains travel through this crossing during the morning peak (7am to 9am).

View the final designs

Making Macleod level crossing free

Earlier this year, we heard you want a project design that reflects the surrounding area with natural colours, landscaped spaces and safer connections.

Natural colours and features

You told us it was important that the new rail bridge fit the look and feel of the area, with a natural colour scheme. The final design reflects this with green painted piers, natural copper coloured screening with patterned cutouts for texture and landscaped retaining walls at the southern end to help it blend into the surroundings.

Safer pathways and connections

You told us that it’s important to improve connectivity for drivers, pedestrians and bike riders. We received feedback about safe vehicle movements onto Ruthven Street once the boom gates are gone.

Traffic loops will be installed which will activate the new traffic lights near the rail bridge, giving drivers the opportunity to turn out of Ellesmere Parade and McNamara Street safely. This new signalised and raised crossing on Ruthven Street will provide a safe connection for bike riders and pedestrians, linking with the new Ellesmere Parade path and the existing McNamara Street path.

We’ll lower Ruthven and Chapman streets at the level crossing to provide a 4.8m clearance under the rail bridge. These road works will happen next year when we're removing the level crossing. We’re working with Banyule City Council and the Department of Transport and Planning on these traffic changes.

New community space

You told us you want a new community space where people can gather and relax. Near the new rail bridge and connecting to Rosanna Parklands we’ll create a new landscaped space with natural log seating, native landscaping, rock borders and pathways under the bridge connecting to Ellesmere Parade and Ruthven Street.

New landscaping with native plantings

We heard you want more landscaping, with native or indigenous plantings that blend naturally into the local environment. This feedback is reflected with new landscaping along the new walking and cycling path on Ellesmere Parade and near the rail bridge. We’ll plant over 25,500 trees, shrubs, flowering plants and grasses, including two new trees for every tree we remove.

Find out more

To find out more about what we heard, read the June 2026 consultation report.

Get involved to learn more

Join our information sessions to talk to the team, ask questions about the final designs and find out more about early works.

See us in person

Where: Macleod College

When:  Monday 22 June, 3 sessions to choose from:

• 4.30pm to 5.15pm
• 5.30pm to 6.15pm
• 6.30pm to 7.15pm

Register for an in-person information session.

Online via Zoom

When: Friday 26 June, 12.30pm to 1.30pm

Register for an online information session.

Registration is essential.

We are getting started

With early works underway you'll see increased construction activity, as well as impacts to local roads and Hurstbridge Line services.

To enable construction to begin later this year, we're moving utilities out of the way, setting up site offices, installing temporary fencing and removing vegetation that is impacted by construction.

To store equipment and supplies, we'll set up site facilities and storage areas along the rail corridor and on Somers Avenue, and a temporary storage area and site office on the corner of Ruthven and McNamara streets.

We’ll let the community know well in advance of any upcoming disruptions or changes to the way you travel.

Stay up to date

The best way to stay up to date with the project is to:

• Visit the Ruthven Street level Crossing Removal Project page
• Subscribe to our Ruthven Street, Macleod email updates
• Follow us on social media Level Crossing Removal Project Facebook page
• Contact our call centre 24/7 on 1800 105 105 or email levelcrossings@bigbuild.vic.gov.au

Project timeline

2022

• Project announced

2024

• Site investigations

2025

• Site investigations
• Community consultation

2026

• Early designs released and further community consultation
• Final designs released
• Site establishment and early works
• Construction starts

2027

• Construction
• Trains running on the rail bridge
• Level crossing removed
• New walking and cycling path open
• Landscaping and tree planting
• Project complete

* Timeline subject to change.