Final Dandenong corridor level crossings to be removed by June 17th

The final construction blitz on the Dandenong corridor level crossing removals starts tonight with buses set to replace all train services from 8pm until the first train on Monday 18th of June.

The level crossings at Grange Road, Koornang Road, Murrumbeena Road and Poath Road will be erased at the completion of the works along with two new stations open from the 18th of June.

Workers will be installing new power and signalling systems on the elevated track at the same as the connecting ramps are built in order to connect existing tracks west of Caulfield and east of Oakleigh to the new superstructure.

Rail service interruptions include:

• Pakenham/Cranbourne line trains will be replaced with buses shuttling between Caulfield and Westall between 8pm tonight (Tuesday 29th of May) until the last service on Sunday 17th of June.
• On the Queens' Birthday weekend (9-11 June) and on Saturday 2nd of June, upgrade works at Caulfield junction will see buses run between Westall and Flinders Street.
• Frankston line trains will also be interrupted by the Caulfield junction works on the Queens' Birthday weekend and Saturday 2nd of June and buses will replace trains between Flinders Street and Moorabbin stations.
• Gippsland V/Line passengers will see coaches replace the entire rail route between 9pm tonight and the 17th of June.

According to the state government, the targeted shutdown periods both past and present have avoided the scenario that would have required the total shutdown of the Dandenong corridor for 9 months.

When the railway infrastructure reopens, for the first time, trains will operate between the city and Dandenong without interacting with a level crossing.

The Pakenham branch beyond Dandenong has three level crossing removals on the government's list of 50 - South Gippsland Highway, Hallam South Road and Clyde Road.  Designs for these level crossing removals have not been released as yet.

The Cranbourne branch beyond Dandenong has two level crossing removals on the government's list of 50 - Thompsons Road and Abbots Road.  Both of which are currently under construction.

There are two other level crossings on the Cranbourne branch, including Greens Road serving the heavy-duty Dandenong South industrial area and Camms Road located just in front of the Cranbourne terminus station.  

On the Pakenham branch, beyond the three that are already on the list, there are a further 8 existing level crossings ranging from the small Progress Street which links an industrial area south of Eumemmering and Doveton with the Princes Hwy to the recently duplicated (although puzzlingly not separated) Cardinia Road in Pakenham. 

Like at Cranbourne, there is a level crossing immediately adjacent to the terminating station on the Pakenham branch at Main Street.