How we'll build the rail bridge

We're removing the dangerous and congested level crossing at Keon Parade by building a rail bridge over the road and building a new station at Keon Park.

Removing this level crossing will ease delays for the 18,000 vehicles that pass through every day. Pedestrians, bike riders and drivers will no longer be delayed waiting for the boom gates, which can be down for up to 41 minutes of the morning peak.

Major construction started in 2023. In 2025 trains will run on the new rail bridge to the new Keon Park Station and Keon Parade will be boom gate free.

To build a rail bridge, specialised machinery is needed. As with any major construction this can result in noise and vibration.

Read on for more information on how we’ll build the new elevated rail and what to expect.

Did you know?

We're removing 6 level crossings and building 7 new stations as part of a $2 billion investment to upgrade the Mernda Line.

We've already removed 5 crossings on the Mernda Line, significantly improving safety and congestion. The brand-new Preston and Bell stations opened in September 2022.

Bridge building

There are different stages in the construction of the rail bridge at Keon Parade. The initial stage of preparing the foundations will include large piling rigs on site, and then as the above ground works begin, you will see the bridge begin to take shape.

Piling

Piling is the term we use for laying the bridge foundations. The monopiling that we are using for the Keon Parade rail bridge will involve a deep hole that is reinforced with concrete. There will be 30 piles at Keon Parade that are approximately 2.1m wide and 10m to 12m deep.

When piling works end the rest of the bridge and elevated structure will take shape above.

Piers

Bridge piers are the upright support for a structure. At Keon Parade, you will see 30 piers at approximately 1.7m in diameter installed to support the structure of the rail bridge.

U-troughs

The bridge sections, known as U-troughs, are made up of 2 L-shaped beams installed on top of the headstocks. The 2 beams are joined with concrete to form a U-shape and installed on top of the headstocks. Headstocks sit on top of the piers and support the horizontal bridge sections, transferring the bridge load to the pier below.

At Keon Parade, 64 individual L-beams will be joined to form 32 U-troughs. This will become the base where we lay the train tracks and ballast.

What to expect

Safety is our number one priority, and during the construction of the rail bridge and new station, we will need to close the rail line at times. There will also be road closures to allow our works to be carried out safely. But we will always notify the community in advance.

More information

While construction is underway, there will be changes to the way you travel.

Sign up for regular project updates and select Keon Parade or text KEON to 0428 581 917.