Excavation work for the new Melton train station has begun.
The work commenced on Wednesday, February 12, and are part of the state government’s removal of four level crossings along the Melton line.
The excavation work followed a five-day construction blitz during which crews completed signalling work and relocated underground utilities.
More than 14,000 tonnes of soil is set to be excavated in preparation for the station to open to passengers by the end of 2026.
At Ferris Road in Melton, crews have relocated a pedestrian path and carried out track and signalling works while at Hopkins Road in Truganina, a piling rig has started drilling 48 holes up to nine metres deep as part of the foundations for the new road bridge.
The state government said that once the project is complete, new rail bridges will take trains over Coburns and Exford roads and new road bridges will carry vehicles over the rail line at Ferris Road and Hopkins Road.
The project makes way for the $650 million Melton line upgrade, which will boost passenger capacity by 50 per cent by allowing nine-car VLocity trains to run on the line by 2028.
A new stabling yard will also be built at Cobblebank to house the new trains, with early site investigations to get underway soon.
Melton MP Steve McGhie said the level crossing removals and station works would help people get where they need to go faster.
