$679M contract awarded for Cranbourne Line duplication in VIC

The Cranbourne Line, courtesy of the Level Crossing Removal Project.

Two alliances will work in partnership with the Level Crossing removal projects on a $679 million contract to duplicate the Cranbourne Line.

Construction crews will begin work in the coming days at Greens Road in Dandenong South.

An alliance of McConnell Dowell, Arup, Mott MacDonald and Metro Trains Melbourne will duplicate the line between Dandenong and Lynbrook. They will also remove the Greens Road level crossing in Dandenong South.

The other alliance, comprising Laing O’Rourke, Jacobs and Metro Trains Melbourne will complete the remaining duplication between Lynbrook and Cranbourne. This alliance will also build a new Merinda Park station and expand the Lynbrook station with an additional 135 spaces.

Duplication of the line will allow for peak hour services every ten minutes. The single track limits the number of services that can run on the line and leads to frequent delays.

Program Director Steve Brown said the award of contracts was the cumulation of months of intensive preparation and planning.

“These projects are a huge priority for us, and we’ve been working hard to make sure they can start as soon as possible,” Mr. Brown said.

The line duplication and level crossing removal are set to be completed by 2023. The works are part of a broader upgrade which will see the Cranbourne Line become the first level-crossing-free line in Melbourne.