Construction blitz starts August

We're removing the dangerous Ferguson Street level crossing by lowering the rail line under the road. This will make way for a new North Williamstown Station and an upgraded precinct for the community to enjoy.

Works to remove the level crossing will soon ramp up, with an extended construction blitz from Sunday 15 August to Saturday 13 November 2021.

Our work will mean some disruption to the Williamstown community and we’d like to thank you in advance for your patience.

Removing the level crossing will mean a safer Williamstown for the local community.

In mid-November 2021, the Ferguson Street level crossing will be removed months ahead of schedule with trains picking up passengers from the new North Williamstown station.

Why we're removing the level crossing

• More than 25,000 motorists cross this level crossing each day
• More than 110 trains pass through every weekday
• Two fatalities, one collision with a cyclist and at least five near misses occurred at this level crossing

What we’ve done so far

With major construction due to begin in August, we have been working hard to prepare our sites.

Since the start of the year, we’ve:

• set up 2 work sites at Power Street and Kororoit Creek Road
• located and moved underground services, such as gas, water and electricity, at Ferguson Street, Railway Crescent, Champion Road, and Kororoit Creek Road
• used a 120-tonne piling rig to install the underground columns to support the new rail trench
• prepared the area for major construction.

This work follows detailed technical investigations and assessments and extensive community consultation about the project, including the new station design.

Upcoming construction blitz

From Sunday 15 August to Saturday 13 November, crews will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

This construction blitz will allow us to complete the major works in the shortest time, limiting the impact of travel and construction disruptions on the Williamstown community.

During the 84-day construction blitz, we'll:

• dig a rail trench under Ferguson Street, 750 metres long, 17 metres wide, and up to 8 metres deep
• drill foundations and install retaining walls for the rail trench and station platforms
• lay new track and install new rail equipment and signalling
• build a new North Williamstown Station, with stairs and lifts to lowered platforms.

Then, we'll work into 2022 to complete the finishing touches.

What to expect during works

We’ll dig out around 50,000 cubic metres, or 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of clay and rock during the major construction period.

This, and other work, will cause noise, dust and vibration.

To minimise these impacts, we’ll:

• implement noise monitoring and dampening measures, such as noise blankets
• implement dust monitoring and prevention measures, including wetting down the site and covering loaded trucks
• keep our machinery in good working order and use muffled reversing alarms, where safe
• install directional lighting to prevent light spill into neighbouring properties
• direct construction traffic down designated routes to minimise impacts to local streets
• street-sweep the roads around the site.

Project walking tours

Want to know more about what we’re doing on the ground? Come along for a guided walking tour of the Ferguson Street level crossing removal site.

Led by project staff, you will be taken safely around the outside of the project site for a behind the scenes tour.

We’ll talk you through the project and answer your questions as you view the construction of the new rail trench and North Williamstown Station.

Travel changes

The way you travel will change while we work.

Below are the changes you can expect, depending on your mode of transport.

Rail users

North Williamstown Station will close from Monday 2 August. A shuttle bus service will transport passengers to neighbouring stations.

Buses will then replace trains between Newport and Williamstown from 8.30pm Friday 20 August to the last service on Friday 12 November. The new station will open in November, with train services resuming as normal.

Road users

Ferguson Street will close to drivers and mounted cyclists, at the level crossing, from Sunday 15 August, for up to six weeks, until late September.

Crews will remove the road at the site of the level crossing and build a new reinstated at-grade road bridge. Crews will then excavate underneath the road and install the new rail track.

We will have a detour route around the closed level crossing, via Melbourne Road, Giffard Street, Osborne Street and Victoria Street. Intermittent lane and road closures will also apply to nearby roads, with road signs and traffic management to guide you.

A reduced speed limit of 40km/h will apply around the project work areas to keep our workers and the community safe.

Pedestrians and cyclists

We will maintain pedestrian access, including for cyclists walking their bikes, at the Ferguson Street level crossing throughout the construction blitz.

Meet our project team

When it comes to deciding who’s in and who’s out at the Power Street site compound, gatekeeper Tanya rules the roost with a smile – and a weekly roast chicken! She has become a favourite with workers and locals.

Tanya is a proud, strong Yorta Yorta, Warlpiri woman who grew up in the town of Shepparton, in regional Victoria. Her father is from the Yorta Yorta Nation and her mother from the Warlpiri-Yarpa (People) in Tennant Creek, Northern Territory.

‘I’m a yapper. I don’t like awkward silences,’ Tanya says, laughing. ‘So, anyone that walks past, adult, child or dog, my mouth’s moving. Amazingly, I’ve not been told to be quiet yet!’

An early riser, Tanya often arrives at the site long before her 6am start. She turns on the building heaters for the arriving crew, attends the daily construction pre-start meeting, then opens the gates to the new day’s traffic. On Fridays, she orders roast chicken for the crew.

The mother-of-two has worked many different jobs, including in offices and retail, but relishes construction site life.

‘I prefer being outside in the changing Melbourne weather. And I love this crew. They’re amazing.’

Tanya is as much gatekeeper as project ambassador.

‘I interact with residents and try to minimise any issues about construction noise and trucks coming and going,’ she says. ‘I feel everyone needs to be respected and acknowledged.’

Platform 177

Housed in the historic Owen’s Buildings, cafe Platform 177 is a firm favourite with residents and project workers alike.

Manager Julie Gruer says: ‘Everything’s good here. The coffee, the food, the atmosphere – the whole package.’

Now in its sixth year, the name of the popular eatery combines its Ferguson Street number with a nod to North Williamstown Station opposite. Owner Kristian Stergiannis also has nearby cafe, Elephant, at 70 Maddox Road, Newport.

Mulch deliveries

Parks Victoria ranger Ellie took delivery of one of more than 30 loads, or 400 cubic metres, of mulch to parks around the area, including Jawbone Reserve and Point Gellibrand Coastal Heritage Park.

The mulch comes from trees we’ve had to remove in the rail corridor.

Going under Ferguson Street

The arrival of a 120-tonne piling rig at Ferguson Street, in late May, marked the start of major construction.

The machine spent about 100 hours, across 10 shifts, installing 34 underground concrete supports, up to 11 metres deep, for what will be the sides of the new rail trench. At peak construction, we expect to have five piling rigs being used to create the foundations for the new rail trench and station buildings.

The new North Williamstown Station

Williamstown will soon get a new, easily accessible station built with materials such as red brick and bluestone to complement the area’s heritage.

Stairs, ramps, and lifts will take passengers down to lowered platforms.

The station forecourt will be well-lit for safety, with plenty of seating and shelter. Outside, we’ll create an open space for the whole community to enjoy.

Pedestrians will be able to get to the station more easily via the new signalised pedestrian crossing, and cyclists will be able to park their bikes in a secure new bike shelter.

We consulted extensively about the station design, receiving more than 1800 submissions from the community.

We heard how much the community values Williamstown’s heritage and low-rise, village-like streetscapes.

So, we designed the new station to:

• incorporate the heritage red brick station building on platform one
• preserve important view lines between the Rifle Range Hotel and the old Bristol Hotel
• sit within a precinct of gardens and paths.

Popping up around Williamstown

Over the coming months, as COVID-19 restrictions permit, we’ll be popping up around Williamstown to answer your questions about the project and provide the latest updates.

Keep an eye out for our project team in your local area.

Project timeline

November 2019

• community consultation

Early 2020

• preliminary assessment and investigations
• detailed design investigations and community consultation

June 2020

• rail under road design confirmed

Late 2020

• design finalised
• community consultation regarding station and public space design

Early 2021

• set up site compounds
• relocate underground services and utilities

May 2021

• piling to install trench foundations

August to November 2021

• construction blitz begins, with road and rail disruptions

November 2021

• level crossing gone
• train services resume from North Williamstown Station

Late 2021 to mid 2022

• finishing works and landscaping

*Timeline subject to change.

Stay up to date

We will work closely with residents, businesses, and schools throughout the project to provide regular progress and works updates.

We will also hold pop-up events around Williamstown to speak with people about the project.

You can also:

• SMS Ferguson to 0438 479 376 to sign up for text messages about our project works
• visit our website and social media channels for regular updates.