Frankston commuter chaos to come as Skye/Overton Rd level crossing is removed

MORE Melbourne traffic chaos is on the way, with a six-week construction blitz to cause traffic chaos when a level crossing is removed in the city’s southeast.

A SIX-week construction blitz to remove a level crossing will cause traffic chaos in Melbourne’s southeast.

The blitz will remove the Skye/Overton Rd level crossing — the 20th removed under the Andrews government, meeting a key Labor election commitment.

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Premier Daniel Andrews said the removal met Labor’s election promise to remove 20 level crossings in its first term.

He said the level crossing removal project is running ahead of schedule and more than 20 would be removed before November’s election.

The Skye/Overton Rd level crossing is set to be removed.

An artist’s impression of the Frankston level crossing removal.

“We will exceed the 20, but exactly how many will be down to construction, issues like weather and other things,” he said.

“But these gates are holding us back, you can’t run more trains more often without removing the level crossings.”

Mr Andrews said there would be “significant disruption” to remove the crossing, which he apologised for.

His government has promised to ultimately remove 50 of the most congested and dangerous level crossings.

But last year an Auditor-General report found that the 50 slated for removal were not the most dangerous and congested level crossing.

And the cost to remove 50 level crossings has blown out by 38 per cent to $8.3 billion.

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A view of the Frankston rail line after the level crossing is removed.

The level crossing will be the 20th one removed.

Buses will replace trains between Frankston and Carrum, and on the Stony Point line, from May 4 until the last service on May 27.

From May 28 to the last service on June 17, buses will replace trains between Frankston and Kananook on the Frankston line, and between Leawarra and Kananook on the Stony Point line.

To remove the level crossing, 24 U-shaped viaducts — each bigger than a blue whale and weighing 280 tonnes each — will be transported on a 72 metre-long truck from a Kilmore factory to the work site in Frankston.

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The truck will travel at restricted speeds outside peak hour.

Public Transport minister Jacinta Allan said the new station and level crossing will lift the area.

“It’s exciting to see the project team thinking outside the box with this unique bridge design, which will be part of delivering more trains more often for Frankston line passengers.”