A new road bridge in Diggers Rest will open this Wednesday, with part of Old Calder Highway closing to traffic until next month.
Set to open on Wednesday, June 18, a new road bridge named ‘Golden Way’ will separate vehicles from trains by connecting the Old Calder Highway to Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road over the rail line.
The name acknowledges the area’s gold rush roots and its origins as a resting place for diggers heading to the goldfields.
Crews will now build a new community space with landscaping and pedestrian connections between the station precinct and post office and complete the bridge’s separated cycling path, which is set to open later this year.
Old Calder Highway will close to traffic between the level crossing and Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road until Monday, July 21 to enable works to permanently close the crossing.
Sunbury MP Josh Bull said that removing this level crossing will “help unlock even more services when the Metro Tunnel opens later this year.”
More than 8000 vehicles use this level crossing every day, facing delays of up to 36 minutes when 27 trains travel through the crossings in the morning peak, according to the state government.
The opening of the new bridge marks the state’s 86th level crossing removal across Melbourne.
Work is well under way at the other level crossing removal in Diggers Rest at Watsons Road.
