The dangerous and congested level crossing at Webb Street, Narre Warren will soon be gone for good with a 24-7 construction blitz starting Friday, 24 November.
Construction crews will work around the clock to remove the boom gates, complete the one-kilometre, elevated rail bridge and start the demolition of the old Narre Warren Station.
They will also start installing structures for the new station, including lift shafts and stairwells.
The boom gates at Webb Street are down for 33 per cent of the morning peak and cause havoc for the 13,200 vehicles that use it every day.
To allow crews to work safely, buses will replace trains on sections of the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines from 9.30pm, Friday 24 November to the last service Sunday 10 December.
During this period there will also be disruptions at times to sections of the Cranbourne Line to allow for minor commissioning works following the completion of the Port Rail Shuttle Network.
Train services will resume Monday 11 December and run express through Narre Warren Station over the new rail bridge. Narre Warren Station will remain closed until late March 2024 while the new, elevated station is completed.
When the new station opens in 2024 it will feature two accessible elevated platforms, an air-conditioned waiting room and kiosk, secure bike storage and a landscaped forecourt with seating, and improved pedestrian connections to Narre Warren village.
It will also have new bus bays and a signalised pedestrian crossing on Webb Street, a new drop-off and taxi zone, and upgraded car parking with improved lighting and CCTV.
Removing the level crossing at Webb Street will bring the Pakenham Line one step closer to being level free in 2025, easing congestion and improving travel times in Melbourne’s south-east.
Across Melbourne, 110 level crossings are being removed, with 72 already gone for good.
The Cranbourne, Sunbury and Lilydale lines will also be level crossing free in 2025, the Frankston Line in 2029, and the Werribee Line in 2030, transforming the way people live, work and travel in the city.