We’re removing the level crossing at Maddox Road by building 2 rail bridges, improving safety, reducing congestion and creating better connections.

We're closing the level crossing at Champion Road, only 500m away, and building a new link road to keep vehicles moving, improve safety, and create more reliable travel times.

The new link road will connect Champion Road to Maddox Road directly from Akuna Drive and will open before the Champion Road level crossing is closed in 2026.

We’ll also build a new pedestrian and cycling bridge across the rail line at Champion Road to keep the community connected and upgrade local walking and bike riding connections in the area.

Traffic assessments indicate there is capacity on surrounding roads to accommodate cars currently using Champion Road. The new link road will provide a safer and more reliable connection.

Boom gates are set to be down for longer in the future with more trains and freight services, causing increasing delays and safety issues.

You'll experience little change to journey times using the new link road. On average, less than 2 minutes will be added to a daily commute.

Project benefits

• More reliable travel times, with no boom gate delays
• New walking and cycling connections
• Werribee Line level crossing free by 2030
• Making Melbourne's busiest train lines level crossing free to improve journey times and service reliability across the network

Maintaining network performance

Traffic studies show the local road network will handle the diverted traffic following the closure of Champion Road with minimal impacts to network performance.

As part of our initial traffic studies, we measured the performance of intersections and general traffic flow throughout Newport and Williamstown North.

Our analysis indicates that overall the traffic within the Newport and Williamstown North precinct performs to a high standard, when assessed against traffic modelling standards and guidelines. Accordingly, the road network can absorb the extra traffic from the closure of Champion Road, with very little change to journey times.

We'll continue traffic modelling throughout the project. Feedback from the community will help identify potential network improvements.

Keeping you moving

We heard that many locals travel between Newport and Williamstown.

The new link road will provide a direct connection from Champion Road to Maddox Road by extending Akuna Drive. This is a key access point for multiple businesses, and extending the road will make it easier to move around the area and deliver more reliable journey times for locals.

Traffic modelling tells us many locals will use Maddox Road, Melbourne Road and Kororoit Creek Road to get around during peak periods. On completion of the project, journey times using these roads will be much the same as they are now.

Journey times will be more reliable with cars no longer getting stuck at the level crossing where delays would increase as more train services run in the future.

Getting rid of 2 level crossings will take traffic off local streets, reducing congestion in residential areas and keeping traffic to main roads.

How we do traffic modelling

Traffic modelling is an important process to help us understand the current and projected road network performance and keep the community moving.

Modelling considers factors like roundabouts, traffic lights, reduced speed limits during school times and future growth. It also includes the movements of public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.

This information informs key decisions to ensure that any changes to roads benefits the network.

Akuna Drive new link road wayfinding map

A safer community

Removing the boom gates at these 2 crossing will improve safety by separating people, cars and bike riders from the train line. We're working on ways to make Maddox Road and the new link road safer for all users and we'll report back later this year.

Walking and cycling

Last year, you told us that improvements to walking and cycling connections are important to the Newport and Williamstown North community.

We're creating more ways to get around with improved active transport connections including:.

• new pedestrian and cycling bridge over Champion Road
• shared walking path on Railway Parade connecting into Market Street.

Why we're closing Champion Road

If we could avoid closing the road we would. Assessments show a closure is the only feasible way to remove this level crossing, due to site constraints, critical underground services and major disruptions to the Newport Train Stabling Yards.

We'll close the Champion Road level crossing in 2026, following the opening of the new link road.

Champion Road and Maddox Road early designs wayfinding map

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