Final designs have been released for the Newport Level Crossing Removal Project, which will boost safety on local roads by getting rid of 2 level crossings.
The designs show the new rail bridges that will be built to take passenger and freight trains over Maddox Road and the new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists at Champion Road.
Architectural features reflect the community’s preference to showcase the area’s mix of natural beauty and industrial heritage celebrating the unique character of the area from the foreshore to the wetlands.
Community feedback also highlighted the importance of safety and accessibility, with the final designs including a dedicated right turning lane for cyclists on Maddox Road to connect to the new pedestrian and cycling path on Railway Parade.
Designs on the Maddox Road rail bridge celebrate the area’s foreshore and wetlands, with the curved patterns reflecting the coastline, in colours and textures inspired by the nearby nature reserve, including the bridge’s soft blue-green architectural screen.
Decorative screens at resting points either end of the Champion Road pedestrian and cycling bridge will feature imagery of the Newport Railway Workshops and coastal mangroves from the nearby Jawbone Flora and Fauna Reserve.
Designs for enhancements to open space within the project area are being developed, with more information to be made available next year.
Once the project is complete, around 145 large trees and more than 35,000 plants, shrubs and grasses will be planted throughout the area.
Crews will work around the clock in the rail corridor while buses replace trains on sections of the Werribee Line from Thursday 13 November to Sunday 16 November. Work will also continue on removing the Maidstone Street, Altona level crossing during this time.
When services resume on Monday 17 November, trains will operate on a single track between Newport and Laverton stations until late April 2026, which allows disruption for passengers to be minimised.
Werribee-bound services will operate via the Altona Loop, and all city-bound services will travel direct from Laverton Station to Newport Station. Passengers travelling to the city from Seaholme, Altona and Westona will travel by shuttle bus to Newport Station, where they can continue their journey to the city by train.
Running the trains in this way ensures passenger services on the busy Werribee Line can continue to operate during major works, reducing the need for bus replacement services.
The Maddox Road and Champion Road level crossings will be gone by 2026, and Akuna Drive will be extended to link to a boom gate free Maddox Road.
Five level crossings are going for good in Melbourne’s inner west, at Newport, Altona, Spotswood and Yarraville, making the Werribee line boom gate free by 2030.
