Keep your eyes peeled for a new piece of machinery on the project which will help to remove 2 dangerous and congested level crossings in Diggers Rest, at Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road, with a 22.5m tall piling rig out on site now at Old Calder Highway.
As part of major construction to build the new road bridge at Old Calder Highway, the piling rig is drilling 7 holes around 10m into the ground. Cylindrical steel reinforcement cages are then dropped in the holes and filled with concrete to create the deep foundations for the bridge structure.
The new temporary diversion road at Old Calder Highway has opened, allowing traffic to continue through the area while we work to build the new roundabout and bridge entrance.
We'll set up site offices and work areas later this year at Watsons Road, Diggers Rest.
The level crossings will be removed by building 2 road bridges that will improve traffic flow and safety for locals in Melbourne’s booming north.
The road bridges in Diggers Rest will help boost safety for the 8000 vehicles that use the level crossings each weekday, with 27 trains travelling through each boom gate during the morning peak, creating 36 minutes of boom gate down time.
The new 2 lane road bridge at Old Calder Highway will include a raised cycle path over the rail line.
At Watsons Road, the new 2 lane road bridge will feature a raised pedestrian path. Both bridges will have retaining walls featuring a stone-like pattern, as well as new lighting to improve safety and visibility.
The new bridges will be complete, and the level crossings gone for good in 2025.
