By Brendan Rees
Flashing lights and bells are now officially a thing of the past at a notorious level crossing in Lyndhurst.
Member for Cranbourne Jude Perera joined workers at the Thompsons Road site in carrying away the boom gates on Thursday 28 June.
It comes as the first of two new three-lane road bridges being built over the Cranbourne line were opened earlier this week as part of the State Government’s $207 million upgrade, allowing for the removal of the level crossing below.
“We’ve removed the boom gates at Thompsons Road for good – both rail and road traffic will never have to deal with them again,” Mr Perera said.
“With the removal of the level crossing, the Thompsons Road Upgrade is scheduled for completion in mid-2019, with works to continue to complete the second three-lane bridge.”
The bridge opened in style thanks to a group of classic car enthusiasts from Melbourne Old School Cruisers who were among the first to test out the new bridge.
Nearly 145,000 hours of work, 1700 cubic metres of concrete and tens of thousands of tonnes of quarry materials have helped build the 3200-tonne bridge over the rail line and the 60,000-tonne supporting wall.
Mr Perera said the removal of the crossing helped to reach the halfway mark of the 50 level crossings assigned for removal.VicRoads says a new road (Merinda Park Boulevard) has been opened to allow space for the road bridges to be built and enable continued access to Merinda Park Station car park.
Liberal candidate for Cranbourne Ann-Marie Hermans said Premier Daniel Andrews promised the project four years ago.
“If Labor cares about the people of Cranbourne, then why are locals still stuck in traffic?” she said.
“Residents don’t want Labor’s traffic lights to gridlock our roads. On Thompson’s Road and the Western Port Highway we need the Liberal’s congestion-busting plan for grade-separation, so we can keep our traffic moving and spend less time on our roads and more time at home.”
Shadow Minister for Roads and Infrastructure David Hodgett said Victorians could not trust Mr Andrews as it took him three-and-a-half years to realise Melbourne was in the “grips of a congestion crisis.”
“Only a Liberal Nationals Government will remove 55 of Melbourne and Geelong’s worst red light intersections to get people to get people home sooner, including at Thompsons Road and Western Port Highway in Lyndhurst,” he said.
