Ruthven Street, Macleod - April 2026 early designs Q and As

13 April 2026

We're removing the Ruthven Street, Macleod level crossing 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. This section of the path is the missing link between existing paths on McNamara Street and Ellesmere Parade.

Early designs are available and we asked to hear from the local community to help refine these designs. Seeking feedback on aspects of the designs of the new rail bridge and surrounding area.

The project is in the planning stages with site investigations underway and construction starting later in 2026. The level crossing will be gone for good and trains running on the new rail bridge in 2027.

Removing the level crossing will eliminate almost 30 minutes of boom gate down time in the morning peak alone, saving travel time for 12,600 drivers each weekday.

Making Macleod and Rosanna level crossing free in 2027 will also improve safety, reduce congestion and create more reliable travel times for drivers, pedestrians and bike riders – building on the benefits unlocked by the North East Link Project.

The questions and answers on this page are for the early designs on the Engage Victoria website.

General project information

Removing the level crossing will eliminate almost half an hour of boom gate down time in the morning peak, saving travel time for 12,600 drivers each weekday.

Removing the Ruthven Street level crossing will improve safety, reduce congestion and create more reliable travel times for road users.

We’re removing the Ruthven Street level crossing by building a rail bridge over the road.

The rail bridge will be about 600m long, starting around Braeside Avenue and coming back down just past the Macleod Stabling Yard. There will be a clearance of 4.8m under the rail line on Ruthven Street.

Construction is scheduled to start later this year with the boom gates gone for good and trains running on the new rail bridge in 2027.

The boom gates will be gone for good and trains running on the new bridge next year.

This project is in the planning stages and site investigations are underway.

Early concept designs are available and we want to hear from the local community to help refine these designs. Along with our technical requirements, your feedback will help us shape the final designs which will be released in the coming months.

Visit Engage Victoria to share your thoughts.

Early concept designs for the project are available now. Final designs for the project will be released in the coming months.

New rail bridge design

Engineering assessments determined the best solution to remove the level crossing is by building a rail bridge over the road.

During the early phase of the project, we investigated other options to remove this level crossing in Macleod. You can learn more about the rail bridge design as well as the other designs that were considered in our selecting the best designs booklet, available to view on our website.

The rail bridge will be about 600m long, starting around Braeside Avenue and coming back down to just past the Macleod Stabling Yard. The section of the bridge over Ruthven Street will be partially built from u-shaped concrete segments, known as U-troughs, in which the train sits. At each end of the new rail bridge, retaining walls will tie the train line back into the surface level tracks. There will be a clearance of 4.8m under the rail line on Ruthven Street.

The project design includes a signalised and raised pedestrian crossing on Ruthven Street near the rail bridge. This will have traffic lights to control vehicle, pedestrian and bike rider movements along Ruthven Street, providing a safer outcome for all.

We’re still working through the details of the intersection design for Ellesmere Parade, near the new rail bridge and signalised crossing. We’re working closely with Banyule City Council and the Department of Transport and Planning to determine what this intersection may look like.

Upgrades and changes to other intersections along Chapman and Ruthven streets like Carwarp Street, Thomson Drive, McNamara Street and Jacka Street are not within the scope of this level crossing removal project.

We'll build a new walking and cycling path along Ellesmere Parade from Ruthven Street to Davies Street. This section of the walking and cycling path is the missing link between existing paths on McNamara Street and Ellesmere Parade.

A new signalised crossing near the rail bridge will improve safety for pedestrians and bike riders crossing Ruthven Street.

Early designs for the new rail bridge, walking and cycling path and signalised crossing are available. Final designs for the project will be released in the coming months.

Ruthven Street will be lowered slightly to facilitate removal of the level crossing and ensure the bridge meets the required minimum height clearance of 4.8m under the rail line.

Early designs for the new rail bridge are now available and show what the bridge, new walking and cycling path and landscaping might look like.

This bridge will be built in the existing rail corridor and does not require acquisition of residential properties.

Removing the level crossing means no more boom gate bells and fewer train horns. Using u-troughs in the new rail bridge structure also reduces the noise generated by trains moving along the track, as the train wheels and tracks sit within the concrete structure. Much of the noise experienced from rail operations also comes from train wheels running along the tracks, and older rail lines with imperfections in the track can be noisier than newer lines that will be installed as part of the project.

We have used noise monitoring equipment to record the current noise levels experienced by residents at different points along the rail line. Using the existing noise levels as a baseline, we have then prepared noise modelling to predict the future noise levels at the end of the project, when trains will be running. These predictions are assessed against a standard called the Victorian Passenger Rail Infrastructure Noise Policy 2013.

From the noise modelling completed it is not expected to result in any material change in noise levels near the rail corridor. We will continue to undertake further noise modelling to ensure noise levels adhere to the PRINP.

Our project team includes a range of designers who have extensive experience designing rail infrastructure. As part of the design process, our team has focused on mitigating visual impacts from the new rail bridge as much as possible. The new rail bridge will have architectural screening along sections of the bridge and landscaping to reduce visual impacts of the rail infrastructure.

We know how important the local parklands, trees, plants and wildlife are to the Macleod and Rosanna community. Minimising tree and vegetation removal and impacts to wildlife habitat is a priority for the project.

We're undertaking careful planning to reduce our impacts on local flora and fauna; however, we will need to remove some trees and vegetation to safely remove the level crossing and build the rail bridge.

Our project team is working on a bridge design and construction methodology that retains as many trees and shrubs as possible. Most of the impacted trees will likely be in and around where the new rail bridge will be located. We'll also work from the western side of the rail line where possible to minimise impacts in Rosanna Parklands.

To safely build the rail bridge, we may work in the parklands at times. When construction is complete we'll reinstate all work areas with new landscaping.

The new rail bridge design includes opportunities for new landscaping and tree planting. We'll plant two trees for every tree we remove, and we'll invite the community to share their feedback on landscaping design during design consultation early next year.

The project is guided by the Level Crossing Removal Project Urban Design Framework. The Framework contains key urban design principles. The project will use this framework to inform and influence the development of design.

Construction impacts

Construction will start later this year. The boom gates will be gone for good and trains running on the new rail bridge next year.

We’ll share more information about the construction timeline and what to expect during construction in mid 2026 when final designs are released.

There will be times when we will need to close Ruthven and Chapman streets at the level crossing to safely build the new rail bridge. We will have more information about disruptions when we start construction later this year.

We will inform the community about any road closures in advance. We’ll also share information about detour routes and will have traffic management in place to guide vehicles, pedestrians and bike riders safely through the area while we work.

Sign up for email updates to be the first to know about project news, works and changes to the way you travel by visiting our website and under Hurstbridge Line select Ruthven Street.

We have a dedicated team out on site who work with the community to ensure they are informed about our works and supported during impactful construction.

Our team will inform and engage with the community through many channels, including works notifications delivered to nearby properties, doorknocks to nearby properties, online email updates and website information, community newsletters delivered to the area, signage in the area and SMS updates.

The community are also encouraged to get in touch with us anytime by calling 1800 105 105 or emailing levelcrossings@bigbuild.vic.gov.au

We are committed to supporting local businesses through any local disruptions. Our team will work directly with businesses to support them through construction.

We’ll also ensure they have information about travel disruptions to help their staff and customers get around.

Additionally, we’ll look to:

meet face-to-face with traders
create additional signage and wayfinding to help customers find businesses
develop and fund advertising and marketing campaigns on behalf of businesses and the trader precinct
develop and fund activation programs and events to support local businesses and build resilience
use local business to provide goods and services to the project’s workforce and community events.

We will also manage traffic and workforce parking and work with other construction projects in the area to stage disruptions, where possible.

During construction, our team will regularly check in with local business and residents to answer questions and address concerns.

Land use

The rail bridge design does not require any compulsory acquisition of homes or businesses.

We’ll work in the rail corridor, on nearby roads and road reserves and in selected small parcels of land to build the rail bridge.

To safely build the rail bridge over Ruthven Street, we’ll use Macleod Park oval as a construction support area. Once the bridge is complete, we’ll upgrade the oval with new drainage and irrigation, and install a new natural turf AFL/cricket surface and cricket pitch.

We’re working closely with the Banyule City Council, Macleod Junior Football Club and

Macleod Cricket Club to support the clubs to train and play at other local grounds during construction.

We’ll occupy Macleod Park oval from October 2026 to April 2027.

When we’re finished building the rail bridge in 2027 we’ll upgrade Macleod Park oval including installing new drainage and irrigation systems and laying a new natural turf AFL/cricket playing surface and cricket pitch.

We'll upgrade Macleod Park when we've finished building the new rail bridge. Upgrades will include new drainage and irrigation systems and laying a new natural turf AFL/cricket playing surface and cricket pitch.

We'll upgrade the Macleod College oval to provide additional and improved recreation space during construction and beyond . Upgrade works will start later this year.

Community consultation

We’re inviting feedback from the local community on the concept designs to help us refine these designs. Locals are invited to share their feedback by filling out our design feedback survey on Engage Victoria.

This feedback, which along with our technical requirements, will help us shape the final designs which will be released in the coming months.

The new rail bridge over Ruthven Street provides opportunities for new landscaped spaces, seating and walking and cycling connections. Our design feedback survey invites feedback on these aspects of the concept designs to help us refine these designs.

Share your feedback at Engage Victoria.

Feedback from our vision and values consultation in late 2025 has informed the concept designs. You can read a summary of this feedback in our consultation report here .

Planning approval submissions also received in late 2025 were summarised and responded to in a consultation report, which will inform the Minister for Planning’s ongoing assessment and decision on the project under Clause 52.03.

Feedback collected through this current concept design consultation will inform the final designs, along with further detailed design and engineering assessments.

When final designs are available, we’ll share a report summarising the feedback we received through the design feedback survey and will also share information about how this feedback has informed the final designs .

You can be the first to find out about project news by subscribing for email updates. Visit our subscribe webpage and under Hurstbridge Line, select Ruthven Street.

Yes, please contact us to request a paper survey by calling us on 1800 105 105 or email levelcrossings@bigbuild.vic.gov.au.

Feedback closes at 11.59pm, Sunday 26 April.

Contact information

Read more about the project at levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/ruthven-street

Subscribe for email updates on our subscribe webpage and under Hurstbridge Line select Ruthven Street.

If you have any further questions, please call 1800 105 105 or email levelcrossings@bigbuild.vic.gov.au to get in touch with the project team.

Yes, for languages other than English, call 9209 0147.