Giant steel bridge sections measuring more than 40 metres have been lifted into place at Melton to form the new rail bridge over Coburns Road.
Using two 750-tonne cranes, crews carefully lifted in the two steel bridge sections – known as girders – to connect the rail bridge over Coburns Road while the road was temporarily closed to traffic.
The lift marked the end of a 615km journey for the giant steel structures, including a 450km boat trip across Bass Strait from the factory where it was manufactured in Tasmania.
The structures were delivered to site in four, 42-metre-long sections, and pieced together with another 21 cross girders to form the two bridge sections, each weighing a whopping 220 tonnes.
Coburns Road will remain closed to traffic at the level crossing until 8am Sunday, 16 November while crews continue installation works to connect the new bridges.
The road will also be closed to traffic at times between Staughton Street and James Melrose Drive between 20-28 November for bridge concreting works.
The level crossings at Coburns Road and Exford Road are being removed by building rail bridges over the roads and constructing a brand-new, elevated Melton Station.
The new elevated state-of-the-art Melton Station will also open next year with modern facilities and an accessible pedestrian underpass providing access to each of the four platforms.
Work is also underway to remove level crossings at Ferris Road, Melton and Hopkins Road, Truganina, by building road bridges that will permanently separate vehicles and trains.
About 73,000 vehicles travel through the four level crossings each day, with the boom gates down for up to 28 minutes of the morning peak.
The level crossings will be gone for good and the new Melton Station open next year.
Early work has also started this month on the $650 million Melton Line Upgrade to increase passenger capacity by 50 per cent on peak services by allowing 9-car trains to run on the line from 2027 – one year ahead of schedule.
