Ruthven Street – frequently asked questions

13 July 2026

We’re getting started and early works are underway at Ruthven Street, Macleod.

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

If you require assistance in accessing or understanding these frequently asked questions, please contact us at levelcrossings@bigbuild.vic.gov.au or call 1800 105 105.

Early works are underway.

These works include relocating power, water, drainage, communications and sewer services, as well as preparing work sites to support construction of the rail bridge over Ruthven Street and the new walking and cycling path along Ellesmere Parade.

These preparatory works are crucial in preparing to build the rail bridge early next year. Undertaking as much work as possible before we begin construction of the rail bridge minimises disruption to the community, including changes to how you travel through the area and impacts to Hurstbridge Line passengers.

The Ruthven Street level crossing will be removed with trains running on the rail bridge, the new walking and cycling path open and landscaping and tree planting complete in 2027.

We’re unable to pause construction activities as the works include disruptions to the Hurstbridge Line.

Impacts to train services must fit in with maintenance and project works across the network, and any changes to the program can have an impact on projects across the whole Metro train network.

Additionally, the project will temporarily use Macleod Park from October this year to support construction of the rail bridge. We're working closely with the Macleod Junior Football Club, Macleod Cricket Club and Banyule City Council and ensuring they can return to their home ground for the 2027/2028 summer cricket season and the 2028 football season.

Community consultation and engagement have been undertaken throughout project planning, and we are committed to keeping you informed and listening to your feedback.

In November and December 2025, the community was invited to share feedback through the project’s vision and values consultation as well as the statutory Clause 52.03 planning consultation requirement.

Our November community update, Engage Victoria consultation hub and information sessions included a map and a description of the proposed walking and cycling path location along Ellesmere Parade. A letter with information about environmental management and tree removal was also sent to residents as part of the Clause 52.03 planning consultation. Further consultation on early designs was held in March and April.

We heard the community 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 2 new trees for every tree we remove.

We recently released final designs and an expanded map which shows this new landscaping. Both online and in-person information sessions were held.

During all phases of consultation and engagement, the project team doorknocked all residents along Ellesmere Parade opposite the proposed location of the new walking and cycling path to provide them with project and consultation information, including upcoming opportunities to meet and 24/7 contact details. We have also held several in-person information sessions and online webinars.

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.

To minimise impacts to Rosanna Parklands, most of the rail bridge will be built from Ellesmere Parade. To safely build the rail bridge, we may work in the parklands at times. When construction is complete, any impacted areas in the parklands will be reinstated with new landscaping.

The walking and cycling path location and tree removal is guided by design, construction, safety, regulatory and environmental requirements and technical and engineering assessments.

In late 2025 and 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.

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

To remove the level crossing, build the new rail bridge, walking and cycling path and landscaped community space in Rosanna Parklands, specialised machinery is needed.

As with any major construction, these works can result in noise and vibration and create dust, which we'll always seek to minimise where possible.

The intensity of the noise and vibration depends on the ground conditions and the distance between your property and the works.

We'll notify potentially affected residents, businesses and community groups well in advance of works through direct updates via letterbox drops and, at times, in person.

You can find out more by reading our what to expect during construction fact sheet.

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.

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

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’ll work closely with eligible residents to understand any measures which may need to be taken to minimise the impact of works. This can include proactive offers of respite or relocation.

Respite may be offered to residents and may include noise cancelling headphones or vouchers to activities providing respite periods.
Relocation is offered to eligible residents to provide alternative accommodation for sleeping. This is usually serviced apartment style accommodation with kitchen and laundry facilities.

We have a dedicated team who will work with eligible households to provide detailed information about respite and relocation and to discuss their needs.

We’ll get in touch with eligible residents through email and letterbox notifications, telephone calls and doorknocking where possible.

During works, respite and relocation requests are assessed on a case-by case basis, depending on the nature and extent of works occurring on site.

Construction may generate dust and other air emissions. We'll use a range of measures to reduce and manage dust which may include:

Using water trucks to regularly wet down the site
Watering unsealed roads and surfaces
Using water carts to spray and suppress dust
Staging works to minimise disturbed soil areas exposed to wind
Reducing the speed of construction vehicles
Covering truck loads and stockpiles
Using steel grids at site exit points to reduce mud being dragged onto roads
Cleaning roads around the site with street sweepers.

Before and during construction, the project team monitors noise and air quality to make sure levels comply with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) Civil construction, building and demolition guide (Publication 1834).

Supporting local traders is important to the project and we have a team dedicated to helping local businesses.

We will continue to engage with traders throughout the life of the project, working on managing any impacts due to construction.

We work to maintain pedestrian access to businesses and provide clear paths and signage to direct people safely through the area.

We’ll strongly advocate for shopping locally and sometimes partner with local businesses to provide goods and services for our workforce.

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. This includes land along Ellesmere Parade and a small section in the north of Rosanna Parklands. When works are finished, we’ll reinstate and landscape the areas we’ve used during construction.

The new landscaped community space in Rosanna Parklands will also feature natural log seating, rock borders and native plantings that will integrate into the parkland. The logs used for the seating will come from trees removed in the local area. Landscaping works will begin after construction in mid 2027.

To safely build the rail bridge over Ruthven Street, we’ll use the 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.

To safely build the rail bridge and for a construction support area, we’ll temporarily use the oval at Macleod Park. We’ll occupy Macleod Park oval from October 2026 to April 2027.

The area near the level crossing is constrained in space for construction activities, so we explored many alternative areas that could be used during construction.

Compared to the other options explored, using Macleod Park to safely build the rail bridge and for a construction support area will cause less disruption to the wider Macleod and Rosanna communities and passengers on the Hurstbridge Line and it means we can get the project done faster.

Using Macleod Park also means less trucks on local roads during construction, and is a more sustainable option compared to having longer haulage routes to get materials, vehicles and workers to the new rail bridge site.

Using the oval also reduces tree and vegetation removal and impacts to Rosanna Parklands. The oval also provides space for designated workforce parking.

We're working closely with the Macleod Junior Football Club, Macleod Cricket Club and Banyule City Council to support the clubs to train and play at other local grounds during construction and we appreciate both clubs’ collaboration with the project.

We’re working closely with the clubs and Banyule City Council to support the clubs before, during and after construction. We’ll also upgrade the Macleod Park oval when we’ve finished working there in April 2027 with new drainage and irrigation systems and laying a new natural turf AFL/cricket playing surface and cricket pitch.

The new rail bridge design does not impact the new Macleod Park pavilion building, and the clubs will be able to use the pavilion building during most of our construction works.

Environmental and ecological assessments to minimise vegetation removal and manage the impacts on flora and fauna are an integral part of every level crossing removal project.

As part of our planning, independent arborists and environmental experts have assessed all trees and vegetation in the project area to determine:

the structural integrity, size and location of tree roots
health and life expectancy of trees
amenity and environmental value
location of utility services in proximity to trees
presence of wildlife and habitat.

We work with fauna handlers who inspect trees and vegetation to safely rehome any fauna before tree and vegetation removal.

These fauna handlers will be on call during construction and on site during any vegetation removal works to safely relocate any wildlife we may encounter.

Trees and vegetation that can be safely retained will be protected during construction, and protected species will be fenced as environmental no-go zones to limit any impacts during works.

We’ve worked to minimise and mitigate impacts to these species and have obtained the necessary approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.

There are environmentally significant flora species within the project area. These are being protected where possible by the installation of no-go zone fencing and all plants will be monitored throughout construction. Some of the plants within the project’s construction footprint that cannot be protected have been translocated to an appropriate alternative site.

The project area also contains potential habitat for environmentally significant fauna species, primarily within Rosanna Parklands. Our assessments show that species do not use the area for breeding or nesting grounds, and overall species are unlikely to be significantly impacted by the project. We have done work to modify our design to minimise impacts to this habitat within Rosanna Parklands. We also work with fauna handlers to safely relocate any wildlife encountered during our works.

We work with independent arborists and sustainability specialists across all our projects to minimise vegetation removal and manage the impacts on flora and fauna.

We've worked closely with these experts to develop designs and construction methods that retain as many trees and shrubs as possible.

Tree removal is guided by design, construction, safety, regulatory and environmental requirements and technical and engineering assessments.

We know how important the Rosanna Parklands are to the local community and the existing environment, flora and fauna.

To minimise impacts to Rosanna Parklands, most of the rail bridge will be built from Ellesmere Parade.

The rail bridge will be located within the existing rail corridor, with no permanent structures located within Rosanna Parklands.

We need to remove trees on Ellesmere Parade to allow for excavation of the new combined service route (train signalling), drainage pipes and swales, the path and construction access, which will impact tree root zones.

The space between the rail corridor and Ellesmere Parade is also very constrained and includes essential utility services above and below the ground that the community use every day including train signalling, power, water, drainage, communications and sewer services. Our works to protect, upgrade and relocate these essential services must be designed and delivered to various standards and guidelines including the requirements and standards of the rail operator Metro Trains. The excavation work to build this new infrastructure also needs to safely work around or be offset from existing utility services, which results in our excavation footprint impacting tree root zones.

The rail operator Metro Trains also requires the rail corridor to be fenced for safety next to the new path and on the new embankments, retaining walls and bridge. Metro Trains also require enough space within the rail corridor to safely carry out maintenance works as well as space for critical rail infrastructure including overhead power lines, signalling and drainage.

In addition, some overgrown trees along Ellesmere Parade and in the rail corridor will be impacted by the new rail bridge and/or overhead wiring. These trees need to be removed for safety reasons.

We're 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.

With this brand new connection, locals will be able to enjoy over 2km of walking and cycling paths from Macleod to Rosanna. This new walking and cycling path also aligns with the Department of Transport and Planning’s Strategic Cycling Corridor network.

The new walking and cycling path will also tie into the new signalised and raised pedestrian crossing being built near the rail bridge, providing safer, more direct connections for everyone crossing Ruthven Street and those using the walking and cycling paths in the area.

The project’s design and construction methodology mitigates impacts to protected species in line with requirements under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999).

Studley Park Gum trees are protected as they are listed as Critically Endangered on the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988) – Threatened List. The project designed the new rail bridge and new walking and cycling path to ensure there is minimal impact to these protected trees.

However, the space between Ellesmere Parade and the rail corridor is constrained and mostly on rail land. It must accommodate the new path, rail infrastructure as well as existing and new essential utility services. The excavation work to build this new infrastructure also needs to safely work around or be offset from existing utility services and critical rail infrastructure, which results in our excavation footprint impacting tree root zones.

A few of these essential utility services include:

existing underground and overhead power lines that connect to the Macleod substation.
existing overhead wiring that powers the Hurstbridge Line.
relocation of the combined services route (CSR) that supplies the train signalling system.
new drainage infrastructure that is essential to drain water from the road, rail corridor, and new walking and cycling path.
maintenance infrastructure including the Metro Trains vehicle access areas which provide safe space to maintain critical rail infrastructure including the train signalling system.
track drainage system which prevents the rail line from flooding.

Retaining all trees along Ellesmere Parade to meet these design requirements while providing adequate maintenance access and maintaining safety, was not feasible.

The space between the rail corridor and Ellesmere Parade is narrow and includes essential utility services above and below the ground that the community use every day including train signalling, power, water, drainage, communications and sewer services. The area where the path will be built along Ellesmere Parade is mostly rail land owned by VicTrack, which means Metro Trains standards and requirements apply for the design and construction of the new path.

New drainage pipes and swales must be installed to capture water off the road and along the path as Metro Trains standards do not allow this water to flow directly into the rail corridor to prevent flooding and maintenance issues with the track drainage system. This requirement was not in place for the Rosanna Level Crossing Removal project, which was built in 2018. Metro Trains standards and requirements have changed since this time and the Ruthven Street project must design and construct in line with the most recent requirements and standards.

In some sections, essential services will be installed beneath the new walking and cycling path. To support safe maintenance access, Metro Trains standards require combined services route (CSR) pits to be located next to the path, to allow crews to access them safely while keeping the path open for community use during maintenance works. The CSR is where the train signalling and communication system cables run to ensure a safe railway network.

Placing the pits, CSR or drainage pipes under the path will not change the need to remove trees along Ellesmere Parade.

We’ll plant over 25,500 trees, shrubs, flowering plants and grasses as close as possible to where vegetation has been removed, including two new trees for every tree we remove. Future landscaping will also include a combination of seedlings, small shrubs and semi-mature trees.

This includes new landscaping along the new walking and cycling path and near the rail bridge with a diverse range of native and indigenous species to complement the existing landscaping and geology of the area.

The new planting of semi-mature trees will establish over time. We’ll plant tree species that will provide long-term canopy and screening benefits. Along Ellesmere Parade, the trees that are replanted will be species that are more suitable for growing under the overhead powerlines.

We will partner with qualified landscapers to undertake a detailed program of monitoring and maintenance. Regular assessments of the planting will continue to determine its health and viability. The project will monitor the area for 2 years to ensure that all vegetation is healthy, established and maintained. This approach supports long-term health and sustainability.

After 2 years, the maintenance will then be transferred to the appropriate authority such as Banyule City Council or Metro Trains.

Along the new walking and cycling path we’ll plant new trees, shrubs, flowering plants and grasses, as close as possible to where vegetation has been removed. We’ll plant 2 new trees for every tree we remove. Landscaping works will begin after construction in mid 2027.

We’ll plant a diverse range of native and indigenous species to complement existing landscaping and geology as well as to provide long-term canopy and screening benefits.

The new planting will establish over time, and the Level Crossing Removal program has a successful record of creating new and thriving landscaping. You can view some examples of our success on past projects here.

We will partner with qualified landscapers to undertake a detailed program of monitoring and maintenance.

After 2 years, the maintenance will then be transferred to the appropriate authority such as Banyule City Council or Metro Trains.

Where possible, removed vegetation is recycled through mulching or reuse in local projects such as log donation or artwork.

We're working closely with Banyule City Council and local community groups to ensure that removed vegetation is repurposed for new uses or environmental initiatives. Options we’re exploring include:

Donating logs or timber to community groups, gardens, schools and artists
Creating mulch for landscaping and revegetation
Incorporating reclaimed timber into landscaping.

The new landscaped community space in Rosanna Parklands will feature natural log seating, rock borders and native plantings that will integrate into the parkland. The logs used for the seating will come from trees removed in the local area.

As part of our planning, independent arborists and environmental experts have assessed all trees and vegetation in the project area to determine:

the structural integrity, size and location of tree roots
health and life expectancy of trees
amenity and environmental value
location of utility services in proximity to trees
presence of wildlife and habitat.

We've worked closely with these experts to develop designs and construction methods that retain as many trees and shrubs as possible.

Some vegetation trimming and removal is required to:

support construction of the new rail bridge and walking and cycling path
accommodate new rail and road infrastructure
relocate and install drainage, utilities and essential cables and services and to avoid existing utilities and services
maintain safety clearance requirements
provide temporary space for construction offices, machinery and equipment.

Most of the impacted vegetation and trees will be in and around where the new rail bridge and path will be built. Where possible, we will look to trim trees instead of removing them.

Trees and vegetation that can be safely retained will be protected during construction.

We have met all requirements under Clause 52.03-4 of the Banyule Planning Scheme.

This includes completion of an Environmental Management Framework and Vegetation Protection Overlay Report which was endorsed by the Minister for Planning as required at Clause 52.03-6. Native Vegetation requirements at Clause 52.03-7 of the Banyule Planning Scheme have also been satisfied.

Beyond the local requirements under the Banyule Planning Scheme, the project has also sought and received a decision from the Federal Minister for the Environment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999), and approvals under the State Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988).

We heard how important the parklands, trees, plants and wildlife are to the Macleod and Rosanna community and have sought to minimise our impacts and ensure all approvals are in place, with compliance and conditions met.