Getting ready for construction in 2022

Melbourne Airport Rail is a transformational public transport project connecting Melbourne Airport with a rail service for the first time.

Over the past 2 years, we have been undertaking hundreds of site investigations and surveys to help us understand the local environment, ground conditions, cultural heritage, and the communities we will be working in.

In addition, around 250 utilities have been earmarked for modification, relocation or protection, which are an essential first step for construction to start.

Project planning and design continues, informed by community and stakeholder feedback and technical investigations ahead of contractors being appointed.

We have also been working closely with the Department of Transport (DoT) to maximise benefits from significant government investments in the transport superhub at Sunshine. The Victorian Government recently released the Sunshine Precinct Opportunity Statement. Visit the Department of Transport website for more information.

Over the coming months, site investigations and planning will continue. To find out what’s happening in your area, visit the Victoria's Big Build website.

About the project

Melbourne Airport Rail will connect people from the airport to where they need to go – be that work, home or Victoria’s key tourism destinations.

Airport trains will run from a new station at Melbourne Airport every 10 minutes, through the Metro Tunnel to Melbourne’s CBD in around 30 minutes.

For all passengers, Melbourne Airport Rail will provide access to the entire public transport network including trains on the Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland lines with a single interchange.

You can learn more by visiting our website.

Project timeline

2018

• Sunshine route announced for Melbourne Airport Rail

2019

• Site investigations commenced
• Community and stakeholder engagement commenced

2020–2021

• Business case and design development
• Melbourne Airport Rail route via the Metro Tunnel announced
• Statutory planning approval process
• Community and stakeholder engagement
• Market engagement
• Procurement process

2022

• Construction starts (Subject to relevant Victorian and Federal planning, environmental and other government approvals)

2029

• Target opening (Subject to relevant Victorian and Federal planning, environmental and other government approvals)

What we’ve heard

Ongoing community engagement will play an important role in shaping Melbourne Airport Rail.

Between June and October 2021, we asked the community for feedback on project concept designs at key locations along the Melbourne Airport Rail route.

These areas were:

• Sunshine Station transport superhub
• Albion flyover and station works
• Bridge over the Maribyrnong River Valley
• Bridge over the Western Ring Road (M80)
• Shared use overpass in Sunshine North.

We also sought feedback from locals about the potential construction impacts and our proposed measures to help minimise impacts during construction.

During this time, we had over 18,000 visitors to our Engage Victoria site and virtual engagement room with more than 2,400 contributions to our surveys.

The most important aspects the community would like us to consider are:

• making sure the new Sunshine Station transport superhub integrates with other local transport options
• putting safety first when designing and constructing the project, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists
• preserving heritage, ensuring that local landmarks can be enjoyed for generations to come
• protecting the local flora and fauna both during construction and when Melbourne Airport Rail is up and running
• making sure that construction impacts are minimised as much as possible.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this round of engagement. A “What we heard” report summarising this feedback can be found on our website.

Engagement statistics

We have received thousands of surveys and comments from communities as part of our latest round of engagement.

• 2400+ survey contributions
• 18,000+ visitors to Engage Victoria
• 1900+ virtual information room visitors

Delivering Melbourne Airport Rail

The project will be delivered through a number of works packages, providing more opportunities to different contractors and suppliers.

Industry engagement with contractors is progressing with a number of works packages currently out to market. This procurement process will continue over the next 2 years as contracts are progressively awarded.

Works packages and procurement model

Airport (Alliance)

• New station at Melbourne Airport
• Track and civil works for new MAR line
• Overhead line equipment, wiring and structures.
• Stage: Expression of Interest stage, inviting Expression of Interests from pre-qualified contractors.

Viaduct (Alliance)

• Bridge structure over M80
• Track and civil works for new MAR line
• Overhead line equipment, wiring and structures.
• Stage: Expression of Interest stage, inviting Expression of Interests from pre-qualified contractors.

Corridor (Alliance)

• Track and civil works for new MAR line
• Minor civil, shared user path and bridge works
• Overhead line equipment, wiring and structures.
• Stage: Not yet released to market.

Maribyrnong River Bridge (Incentivised Target Cost)

• Maribyrnong River Bridge construction.
• Stage: EOI stage concluded, evaluation underway with bidders.

Sunshine/Albion (Alliance)

• Sunshine station works
• Albion flyover and station works
• Track and civil works for new MAR line
• Relocation/implementation of rail systems and readiness for high capacity signalling
• Line-wide rail systems package including 1500V DC traction power substations and High Capacity Signalling, Communications and Rail Control Systems.
• Stage: Request for Proposal stage underway.

Early Works (Managing Contractor), line-wide package

• Utilities protection and relocation along the MAR alignment.
• Stage: Request for Proposal stage, with pre-qualified contractors invited to tender for the works.

Managing construction impacts

Building Melbourne Airport Rail will be a massive job working in a complex rail environment.

Works will take place over several years and in stages along the rail corridor between Sunshine Station and the new premium station at Melbourne Airport, and will include:

• laying new tracks and ballast (crushed rock)
• realigning existing tracks
• changes to stations
• signalling upgrades
• building bridges and elevated structures in some areas
• utility relocations
• construction access roads, fencing and vegetation clearing.

Utility relocations, including moving electrical towers and underground services, such as water and gas, are likely be the first works to occur on the project. Moving and protecting these utilities is key to getting the site ready for the delivery of major works.

All construction activities will be carefully planned and managed to make sure residents can continue to enjoy where they live, and businesses can continue to operate.

Working hours

It is expected that typical construction hours will be 7am to 6pm weekdays and 7am to 1pm Saturdays. Works will also be required out of hours, including at night, which will be communicated in advance to impacted residents

Noise during construction

During construction, there may be increased noise from machinery and equipment, such as piling rigs, excavators and power tools in the local area. To minimise this as much as possible, strict controls will be put in place to ensure construction noise is well managed and aligns with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria guidelines and any other requirements that have been set for the project.

These controls include:

• Installing hoardings and temporary noise barriers, where required
• Providing advanced notification of upcoming works
• Monitoring noise levels and taking action to reduce noise.

Light during night works

During any night works, lights are used to provide safe working conditions. When night works are planned during construction, we will limit the light impacts on residential areas adjacent to work zones by positioning all lighting to face the work areas and away from residential properties where possible.

Reducing dust

We will try to avoid creating dust during construction, but where it can’t be avoided, we will take action to reduce the dust and limit it as much as possible its impact on the surrounding environment. We will do this by:

• Covering dirt and rock when being transported
• Spraying water on open stockpiles and roads to keep dust down
• Monitoring dust levels at key locations and taking additional actions to suppress dust in extreme windy conditions.

Keeping traffic moving

During construction you may notice changes to some of the roads you are familiar with. Reduced speed limits and signs indicating changed traffic conditions may be in place leading up to and around work zones. There will also be trucks travelling to and from construction sites. When transporting large construction materials or equipment, major arterial roads will be used as much as possible.

To keep traffic moving we will be:

• Implementing tailored traffic management plans for each construction zone to ensure vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians can move safely around work areas
• Keeping all freeway lanes open during peak times, where possible
• Limiting construction traffic and project vehicles on major roads during peak travel times
• Providing clear and up-to-date information for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians via social media, signage, the project website, letterbox drops and door knocks with affected residents and businesses.

Walking and cycling

Melbourne Airport Rail will enhance the popular M80 Trail and deliver up to eight kilometres of new or upgraded walking and cycling paths between Sunshine and Melbourne Airport for local cyclists and pedestrians in Albion, Airport West, Keilor East, Keilor Park, Sunshine North and Tullamarine.

This includes building a missing link at Tullamarine between Fullarton Road and Sharps Road, and a new shared use overpass in Sunshine North to replace two at-grade pedestrian crossings.

These improvements will ensure locals will be able to enjoy walking or riding safely through the area, complementing other upgrades as part of Melbourne Airport Rail.

For more information and to have your say on walking and cycling connections visit our website.

Planning approvals

To deliver a major infrastructure project like Melbourne Airport Rail, an extensive process is undertaken to assess and manage the environmental, social and planning aspects of the project.

Rail Projects Victoria (RPV) will seek planning approval for Melbourne Airport Rail under Clause 52.36 which was added to the Victoria Planning Provisions and all planning schemes in May 2021, to establish a standard planning approval process for all projects being delivered by RPV that do not require an Environment Effects Statement.

Further information on the planning process is available at our website and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning website.

Melbourne Airport Rail works on Commonwealth land are subject to a separate approvals process.

Seeking feedback from the community and key stakeholders is a key part of the planning process. Feedback received helps inform the project designs as well as how planning and environmental matters will be managed and mitigated during construction.

We have sought feedback from the community on a range of topics such as construction impacts, key project scope and your ideas and concerns about the project.

Have your say

We are now seeking feedback from the community about Melbourne Airport Rail to gain further insights on planning and environmental matters, managing construction impacts and walking and cycling.

Visit our website to complete a feedback form. If you would like a hard copy feedback form sent to you, contact us on 1800 105 105 or email airportrail@railprojects.vic.gov.au

We’ll be coming back to local communities to show how your feedback has been incorporated before major works begin.

The best way to stay up to date on Melbourne Airport Rail is to sign up to email updates.