Construction on the Pakenham level crossing removal project has powered ahead this year, as work continues to build the 2.5km rail bridge over McGregor Road, Main Street and Racecourse Road, and build the new Pakenham and East Pakenham stations.
Our crews began by preparing the ground for the foundations of the rail bridge – drilling 35-metre-deep holes in the soil, known as piles. A 33-metre-high piling rig has been moving along the rail alignment this year, and will continue in the new year as it completes 74 piles in total.
The team has also begun some serious lifting on site, with the first of the mega concrete segments that will form the new Pakenham Station being craned into place recently.
Known as station portals, 7 150-tonne segments will support the beams that trains will eventually run in, through Pakenham Station. These concrete portals were poured on-site at Pakenham Station, using giant moulds to shape the concrete. They were then lifted into place using a 350-tonne crane.
This year we also released designs for the new community open space which will be created underneath the rail bridge in 2024. The design includes a 3-metre-wide shared use path between McGregor Road and Main Street, improving transport connections for pedestrians and bike riders to safely access the Pakenham Station and the shopping precinct.
The Pakenham construction team would like to thank everyone for their patience this year as this work was carried out on site.
The project will see the 3 level crossings gone for good at McGregor Road, Main Street and Racecourse Road in Pakenham, by building a rail bridge over the roads and creating 6 MCGs worth of new community open space underneath for locals to enjoy. New stations will also open at Pakenham and East Pakenham in 2024.
