The first designs have been released for the removal of the dangerous and congested Webster Street, Dandenong level crossing, with a new road underpass set to connect Princes Highway-Lonsdale Street to Cheltenham Road.
More than 10,000 vehicles pass through the level crossing every day, and boom gates are down for up to 52% of the morning peak, with this expected to increase when extra services run on the line as part of the Metro Tunnel.
The Webster Street boom gates will be gone for good by closing the rail line at the level crossing and building a new road underpass to improve congestion and safety for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists by separating them from trains.
This site has had 22 near misses since 2012 and will be the last level crossing to be removed on the busy Cranbourne and Pakenham lines, making them boom gate-free in 2025.
The new connection will reroute traffic away from the heart of Dandenong’s CBD and keep heavy vehicles off residential streets, in line with the Revitalising Central Dandenong Masterplan.
Webster Street will be closed to vehicles at the level crossing in late 2025, while construction is underway on the new road underpass. This will include the relocation of a major gas pipeline that services the south-east, with this work scheduled for the warmer months when gas demand is lower. The new road underpass will be completed by 2028.
The project will include a new signalised intersection on Princes Highway-Lonsdale Street, with the new road taking traffic beneath the rail line before connecting with Cheltenham and Hammond roads.
The Webster Street level crossing removal is the last of 8 level crossings to go in the busy industrial area of Dandenong.
Have your say on aspects of the Webster Street level crossing removal designs by completing an online survey on Engage Vic or attending consultation sessions in the coming weeks.
