Ringwood level crossing free by July

The dangerous and congested level crossing at Dublin Road, Ringwood East will be gone for good a year ahead of schedule.

Boom gates in Ringwood will be a thing of the past with the removal of the dangerous and congested level crossing at Dublin Road, Ringwood East – making the Lilydale Line level crossing free in 2024. This follows the removal of the Bedford Road, Ringwood level crossing earlier this year, making the Belgrave Line level crossing free between Ferntree Gully and the city.

A major construction blitz will kick off from Friday 24 May, with crews working 24/7 to complete the new Ringwood East Station and rail trench under Dublin Road.

Once completed, the new Ringwood East Station will feature a main concourse and second entry, platforms that are accessible by lifts and stairs, and upgraded pedestrian and cycling paths. There will also be around 460 car spaces, including 12 accessible spaces near the main station entrance.

The removal of the level crossings in Ringwood will see an end to frustrating delays for commuters, where boom gates are down for up to 23 minutes of the morning peak, with safer, more direct links to the Ringwood East shopping precinct and public transport.

Why these level crossings need to go

• 34 trains during the morning peak
• 13,500 vehicles travelled through the level crossing daily
• Boom gates down for up to 23 minutes during the morning peak
• Improving safety and reducing congestion

What's coming up

What we're doing

In the coming weeks, we’ll work day and night to finish digging the 650-metre rail trench and complete the new Ringwood East Station.

We’ll also:

• Remove existing and install new rail track, overhead wires, and signalling
• Demolish the Ringwood East Station building, platform and associated infrastructure
• Continue installing the new modular station buildings
• Commence construction of new station car parks, earthworks, drainage and landscaping
• Install traffic signals and lights.

Changes to the way you travel from Friday 24 May

Dublin Road will close at the level crossing until mid-June while we work to complete the new rail trench. Vehicles can detour via Canterbury Road, Bayswater Road, Bedford Road and Mount Dandenong Road. Railway Avenue eastbound lane remains closed until late June.

Pedestrian crossings at Dublin Road will also close, with a pedestrian detour via the crossing near Hill Street on Railway Avenue West. An accessible community shuttle bus will be provided during the closure of Dublin Road to assist pedestrians in crossing the rail line. The bus will operate daily from 7am to 7pm.

Buses will replace trains on sections of the Lilydale Line until early July.

Construction in numbers

• 650-metre rail trench
• Trench depth of 8 metres
• 561 piles will support the new rail trench
• 65,000 cubic metres of dirt excavated
• Almost 2km of new rail track will be laid
• More than 200 construction workers
• 95% of concrete already poured

Supporting local traders

Thousands of shoppers have been rewarded for supporting local traders at Ringwood East via the Stamp Me app. Purchases of over $10 with a participating Railway Avenue trader gets you a stamp. Nine stamps earn you a $10 voucher to spend with participating traders.

During May and June, we're running a Shop and Win competition to support Ringwood East traders. Customers who collect 2 stamps each week go in the draw to win either a $100, $50 or $30 voucher to use at a participating local trader. Three winners will be chosen at random each week by Stamp Me.

Other projects in your area

To make the Lilydale Line level crossing free in 2024 – a year ahead of schedule – we'll also be busy working 24/7 at Coolstore Road, Croydon and Cave Hill Road, Lilydale over the coming months.

There will be changes to the way you travel and move around the area while we work.

Coolstore Road is closed at the level crossing until new road connections open from July.

Project timeline

2022

• Project designs released
• Contract awarded

Early 2023

• Site establishment
• Early works

Mid-late 2023

• Major construction underway
• Final landscaping designs released

Early 2024

• Bedford Road level crossing removed

Mid-late 2024

• Dublin Road level crossing removed
• New Ringwood East Station opens
• Bedford Road landscaping and shared use path completed

* Timeline subject to change.

Stay informed

• Sign up for email updates
• Follow Level Crossing Removal Project on social media
• Sign up for SMS alerts by texting RINGWOOD to 0428 387 902