COMMUTERS face months of rail and road disruptions while work is completed at Edithvale, Chelsea, and Bonbeach stations.
The three stations will close for reconstruction from 25 July, and will not reopen until November.
Buses will replace trains between Mordialloc and Frankston and Stony Point from 25 July until 2 August, then from 13 September until November. During the six weeks in between those two closure periods, trains will run express through the three stations.
Road closures and other disruptions are also expected at Edithvale Road, Argyle Avenue, and Bondi Road from July to October.
The level crossing removal at Bondi Road, Bonbeach, will be the 50th completed by the state government. By the end of this year the level crossings at Edithvale Road and Lochiel Avenue in Edithvale, Chelsea Road and Swanpool Avenue in Chelsea, and Bondi Road in Bonbeach will be gone.
While the Frankston line work is underway, the track will be lowered into trenches and three new stations will be built.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the Level Crossing Removal Project crews had “done an outstanding job removing 46 level crossings to date and we’re thrilled to remove 50 level crossings by the end of 2021 – one year earlier than we promised.”
Acting transport infrastructure minister Ben Carroll said “we know the coming months will be disruptive and inconvenient for train passengers, road users and the local community as our teams work to remove these level crossings and we thank people for their patience while this important work is underway.”
Road users will have to contend with disruptions in the coming months. The following level crossings will be closed: Chelsea Road will close permanently on Sunday 19 July, Argyle Avenue will close from Wednesday 21 July to early October, Bondi Road will close from Friday 23 July to early October, Edithvale Road will close from Sunday 25 July to early October, and Swanpool Avenue will close permanently on Wednesday 29 September.
Thames Promenade will be extended to the Nepean Highway as part of the project, to allow a direct connection to the Mornington Peninsula Freeway and in-progress Mordialloc Freeway.
The state government is spending $3 billion in total on the Frankston line, building 12 new stations and removing 18 level crossings.
The removal of two level crossings at Glenhuntly by 2024 will make the Frankston line level crossing free between Flinders Street and Moorabbin Station.
Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson said “removing these dangerous and congested level crossings and building three new stations will improve train services and cut commute times for rail passengers, drivers, cyclists and pedestrians — in the process making Edithvale, Chelsea and Bonbeach even better places to live.”
Carrum MP Sonya Kilkenny said “this has been an outstanding effort by the project team to remove all five level crossings at once – I thank travellers for their patience, but the benefits once they’re gone for good will be worth it.”
To see full details on what works will take place and when, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au