As the Pakenham level crossing removal team powers ahead to remove 3 level crossings and build new stations at Pakenham and East Pakenham, the moment of truth has arrived for an innovative new solution that transforms a difficult to recycle product – old truck tyres – into a concrete kerb replacement.
We have partnered with the University of Melbourne Faculty of Engineering and Porous Lane, a company that recycles tyres – and received a Sustainability Victoria grant to develop and trial Australia’s first recycled kerbs.
The kerb forms a barrier between the road pavement and the nature strip, which aims to direct rain into stormwater drains and protect the edge of the road from erosion. Usually made from concrete, the team knew they could try something more creative and recycle old tyres at the same time.
With construction of the 300 space East Pakenham Station car park well underway, one section of the kerb in the new East Pakenham car park has been made from a mixture of granulated waste tyres and crushed rock, which is bound together using an epoxy binder – with zero cement required.
The team will continue to monitor the kerb in coming years to review:
- the quality and strength of the kerb
- the ability of the kerb to filter debris out of rainwater before it reaches the drain
- adequate rainwater drainage from the carpark
- whether plants, trees and shrubs planted in the area are thriving.
If this trial in the East Pakenham Station car park is successful, it could be rolled out on future projects, potentially paving the way for concrete substitution on more major projects, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and moving us closer to a net zero future.
The level crossings at Main Street, McGregor Road and Racecourse Road in Pakenham are 3 of 22 crossings being removed on the Pakenham Line.
The crossings are being removed by building a rail bridge over the roads, creating new community open space for locals to enjoy for generations to come.
The 2.5km rail bridge design with a new premium Pakenham Station will improve safety, reduce road congestion and allow more trains, more often.
We’re also extending the metropolitan rail line 2km and building a new East Pakenham Station.
2024 is going to be huge in Pakenham, with the 3 level crossings gone, new stations open at Pakenham and East Pakenham, and 6 MCGs worth of community open space created for locals to enjoy.
This project is supported by the Circular Economy Markets Fund. The Fund is delivered by Sustainability Victoria under the Victorian Government’s circular economy policy, Recycling Victoria: a new economy.