Construction chaos for Monash Health, Clayton property owners revealed in new Suburban Rail Loop maps

Suburban Rail Loop construction will cause six years of disruptions around Monash Medical Centre, adding to existing traffic woes.

A new railway station being built in Clayton as part of the $34.5bn Suburban Rail Loop will cause traffic chaos around a growing health precinct for years.

Project maps released as part of the SRL’s planning and environment process show the area impacted by construction will stretch more than 700m along Clayton Rd — including alongside the Monash Medical Centre.

The Andrews Government has flagged its intention to acquire 19 homes and 26 businesses in the area to build the underground station, with most of the properties to be bulldozed near to the intersection of Carinish Rd and Madeleine Rd.

But designs show overall “project land” is much broader and includes dozens of homes, businesses and medical facilities that will be impacted during a six year construction period.

The government says work will be undertaken across project land “at some point” but this could include minor works or underground works.

Over the coming days the Herald Sun will reveal the full extent of the chaos to be caused around other station locations at Glen Waverley, Monash, Burwood, and Box Hill.

At Clayton, warnings have been issued about emergency services facing delays once a daily peak of 180 trucks arrives at the construction zone.

Concept designs for Suburban Rail Loop’s Clayton station.

Once built, the government is forecasting a tripling of jobs in the area — putting it on par with Richmond today.

It says 70 per cent of those jobs will be in knowledge-based sectors.

Despite the forecast for construction chaos, Monash Health’s chief executive, Andrew Stripp, said the project would bring major benefits once finished.

“For Monash Health, as a leading academic clinical service, it is essential our hospitals are readily accessible,” he said.

“Suburban Rail Loop East will provide more ways for our patients and community to reach Monash Medical Centre, the Monash Children’s Hospital and the new Victorian Heart Hospital.

“The loop will also strengthen the Clayton Research precinct, providing a further link with Monash University and the Hudson Research Institute for our many students, scientists, and national and international visitors.”

As part of the project, new pedestrian and cycling paths will be built between Madeleine Street and the Monash Medical Centre, connecting with the Djerring Trail.

The station will also have 500 bike spaces and two entrances — east and west of Clayton Road.

Originally published as Construction chaos for Monash Health, Clayton property owners revealed in new Suburban Rail Loop maps