Another major milestone reached on VIC Melbourne Airport Rail project

The second phase of consultation for the massive Melbourne Airport Rail project in Victoria has commenced as part of the ongoing planning and design development process. New concept designs have also been revealed to give Victorians a peak at how key areas along the route will look. 

The phase two consultation will seek feedback from the community regarding key elements of the project such as: 

• Sunshine Station transport superhub 
• Albion flyover and stations works 
• Bridge over the Maribyrnong River Valley 
• Bridge over the Western Ring Road (M80) 
• Shares use overpass in Sunshine North 

This round of consultations highlights the development of the Sunshine Station into a transport superhub. 

The bigger Sunshine Station will be providing accessible connections at both ends of the platform, with double the number of lifts available. Other features of the transport superhub include extra ticketing gates, platform extensions and better weather protection. 

Melbourne Airport Rail said in a statement: “The pipeline of major investments for the west – including the Metro Tunnel, Melbourne Airport Rail, Suburban Rail Loop and Western Rail Plan – will all contribute to Sunshine Station’s development into a transport superhub. 

“This means better facilities, more trains and more travel options in a turn-up-and-go-style timetable, with services available to Melbourne Airport, Victoria’s western regions, Southern Cross via Footscray, and Melbourne’s CBD through the new Metro Tunnel. 

“To maximise the benefits these major projects will bring to Sunshine, the Department of Transport is developing a Sunshine Station Masterplan, which will look at requirements for future investment and opportunities around Sunshine Station. This includes considering the plans of key stakeholders such as the local council and other transport agencies.” 

If you are interested in providing feedback regarding the Sunshine Station Superhub or other Melbourne Airport Rail projects, you can do so here. 

The Australian and Victorian Governments are committing $5 billion each to deliver the transformational Melbourne Airport Rail Project. 

Subject to relevant Victorian and Federal approvals, construction is anticipated to commence in 2022 and the project completed and operational in 2029. 

Melbourne Airport Rail’s proposed scope of works include: 

• Major improvements to Sunshine Station, including new, accessible second pedestrian concourse with escalators and lifts for better passenger connections between regional, metropolitan and Melbourne Airport trains 
• New twin tracks rising over Anderson Road through to the start of the Albion-Jacana corridor, elevating the rail line over the Sunbury corridor, Ballarat Road and St Albans Road (less than 2 kilometres) 
• A new forecourt area, extra bike cages and some minor modifications to car parking around Albion Station 
• Twin tracks continuing at ground level along the Albion-Jacana corridor, including a new rail bridge to cross over the Maribyrnong River alongside the existing heritage bridge 
• A new rail bridge to cross over the Western Ring Road (M80) 
• Changes to existing road bridges, pedestrian and cycling connections and other rail infrastructure upgrades – such as new signalling and power systems – along the length of the route 

The Melbourne Airport Rail route will run from Melbourne Airport through to Sunshine Station, move towards Metro Tunnel and into the heart of the CBD before it continues to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. 

Expressions of Interest for the first of several work packages for Melbourne Airport Rail was released to market last month. You can read more about it here.

Source: Victoria’s Big Build (1, 2); Engage Victoria; Melbourne Airport Rail (1, 2); Roads & Infrastructure Australia