These 2 level crossings are a cause of significant congestion on 2 of Melbourne’s busiest east-west arterial roads, with the boom gates down for up to 30 minutes during the morning peak between 7:00am and 9:00am.
Removing these level crossings will improve safety in the area and ease congestion for the thousands of motorists who use these roads each day.
Both these level crossings will be removed together as one project to minimise disruption to the community.
Construction is expected to start in 2019 and the boom gates will be gone in 2020.
No decision has been made on the design as yet. Early planning and investigations have identified the most feasible designs for removing the level crossings at Bell Street and Moreland Road are rail over road and rail under road.
These designs avoid compulsory property acquisition, preserve the heritage-listed Coburg and Moreland stations and allow for other level crossings on the Upfield Line to be removed in the future.
Due to the close proximity of adjacent level crossings and upward incline of the land near Bell Street, a rail over design would also remove the level crossing at Munro Street and a rail under design would remove the O’Hea Street level crossing.
This would mean a total of 3 level crossings are removed with either design, including Bell Street and Moreland Road.
Other level crossings on the Upfield Line are not currently in scope of this project. In developing the design, significant consideration will be given to allow for the future removal of other level crossings on the line, including those south of Moreland Road.
Both Coburg and Moreland stations are heritage-listed which limits any works to the station buildings. As part of the project, there may be some minor amendments or upgrades to the stations and facilities. Any proposed amendments to the station buildings or other heritage assets will be subject to approval from Heritage Victoria and in consultation with other relevant stakeholders such as Moreland City Council.
Other designs, such as raising the roads over the rail line, or lowering the roads under the rail line, have been ruled out because they:
- require significant compulsory acquisition
- have permanent impacts for businesses and shopping strips
- affect access to the tram depot on Moreland Road
- impact future transport upgrades in the area.