Sunbury’s dangerous and congested Gap Road level crossing will be gone for good later this year, boosting safety and better connecting the booming community in Melbourne’s north west.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan joined Member for Sunbury Josh Bull to announce major works in June and throughout the second half of the year that will remove the congested crossing, where boom gates are down for more than a quarter of the morning peak.
Gap Road will be closed to traffic between Evans and Horne streets from 30 May to late 2022 as crews remove the boom gates and build the new rail bridge and road underpass.
Buses and coaches will replace trains on sections of the Sunbury, Bendigo, Echuca and Swan Hill lines from 3 to 29 June. When trains resume, Gap Road will remain closed to traffic for up to another three months while crews work around the clock to excavate 25,000 cubic metres of soil and build the road underpass.
Building a new rail bridge and a road underpass means we will preserve the heritage-listed Sunbury Station and reduce rail disruptions during construction. A new shared user path will also connect locals to both sides of Sunbury.
During the road closure motorists will be rerouted over the rail line at the Macedon Street bridge, while pedestrians can cross at the nearby Sunbury Station overpass. There will be local noise, dust and road impacts, with more trucks on the roads. Anyone travelling through Sunbury should plan ahead and allow at least 15 minutes extra travel time.
Emergency services will have satellite depots on both sides of the railway so they can get where they need to go quickly, and businesses in the Station precinct will remain open, with access retained via Horne and Evans streets.
In May, work will also begin on the Sunbury Road Upgrade to widen the road to four lanes between Powlett Street and Bulla-Diggers Rest Road, improving safety and easing congestion for more than 44,000 daily motorists by 2031.
The Andrews Labor Government is removing 85 level crossings across Melbourne by 2025, with 58 already gone for good. Six are being removed from the Sunbury Line, with three already gone and three more to go, including two in Calder Park.
The Government is also building 300 new car spaces and improving bicycle facilities at Sunbury Station and upgrading the Sunbury Line to enable more services and bigger, more modern trains when the Metro Tunnel opens.
Sunbury’s population continues to grow – the removal of the Gap Road level crossing – together with the Metro Tunnel, Sunbury Line Upgrade and Sunbury Road Upgrade – will cater for this growth, create jobs and support local businesses.
As stated by Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan
“Removing this dangerous bottleneck will make Sunbury safer and better connect this growing community.”
“We’re building a better Sunbury – reducing congestion, improving train services and creating local jobs.”
As stated by Member for Sunbury Josh Bull
“Locals know how frustrating and dangerous the Gap Road level crossing is – getting rid of it will deliver huge benefits for our growing community.”
