Level Crossing Removal Project: Caulfield to Dandenong, Australia
Improving safety in our communities
In February 2016, Aurecon with its Alliance partners, were selected as the preferred consortium by the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) to design and construct the Level Crossing Removal Project: Caulfield to Dandenong.
Melbourne’s busiest rail lines, Cranbourne and Pakenham, use the level crossings that cross some of the most heavily congested roads in the region. Boom gates at the crossings can be down for up to 82 minutes in total during peak travel times.
Removing the level crossings and creating an elevated rail line will improve community and commuter safety around the crossings themselves, but also enhance the liveability of our communities and reduce travel times for road and rail users.
They will also improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on surrounding roads. The Alliance’s design significantly improves community connectivity and will be returning unused space to the community as green spaces and parkland.
Aurecon will deliver the Caulfield to Dandenong package as part of an Alliance with CPB Contractors, Lendlease, WSP, LXRA and Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM). Along with WSP, Aurecon are the Principal Engineer Designers across all disciplines, including rail systems (track, overhead wiring, signalling, services routes, power and substations), civil structures (viaduct and retaining walls), station building structures and roads and linear parks.
The project has seen five railway stations rebuilt at Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Clayton and Noble Park; with Murrumbeena station achieving a 5-Star Green Star rating for the design phase. The As Built certification process is also underway for all five stations. Additionally, the project will remove nine level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs and provide signalling and power system upgrades between Flinders Street Station and Pakenham Station to enhance rail network capacity and reliability.
This builds on Aurecon’s involvement in the Victorian Government’s commitment to remove 50 level crossings around the state.
Using digital to enhance collaboration
A digital team was appointed by Aurecon to help ensure all project teams were collaboratively working across live models with the most up to date information. The digital team helped ensure that everything from modelled finished surface levels to modelled drainage, equipment and pits were easily accessible, and exportable.
Learn more about how Aurecon and Alliance partners embraced digital engineering in the case study below:
The project successfully challenged the status quo and created a united front to apply a variety of innovative solutions and experiences including:
- Drone flyovers using photogeometry
- Visualisation models for signal sighting, working closely with the project Geographical Information System “G.I.S” team
- QR Codes on assets to develop a Facility Management model
- 4D digital design models for construction sequencing
- Lightning protection of viaduct structures and stations whilst minimising electrolysis risk
- Developing an accurate model to do a material/quantity take-off
All nine level crossings were removed by June 2018 and practical completion of core components was achieved in October that same year. The new green spaces under the elevated rail are officially open to the public.
Award winning
The Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project has taken out the Landscape Architecture Award for Infrastructure at the 2019 National Landscape Architecture Awards. In its citation, the jury said the project "is an exemplar for championing a reimagined relationship between large rail infrastructure and public amenity."
This project has also won the following awards:
- GOV Design Awards 2019 – Gold in Urban Design – Aurecon, Lendlease, CPB Contractors, WSP and Metro Trains Melbourne
- Australian Urban Design Awards 2019 – Commendation – Aspect Studios with Cox Architecture
- Parks and Leisure Australia Awards 2019 – Park of the Year Award Winner – Aspect Studios, Level Crossing Removal Project, Lend Lease/CPB and COX Architecture
- ISCA Awards 2019 – The IS Innovation and Impact Award Winner
- Consult Australia Awards for Excellence 2019 – Gold in Project Team Collaboration – Aurecon, Lendlease, CPB Contractors, and WSP
- Good Design Australia Awards 2019 – Gold in Architectural (Urban) – Aurecon, ASPECT Studios, Cox Architecture, Double-A Communications and WSP
- Infrastructure Partnership Australia’s (IPA) National Infrastructure Awards 2019 – Industry Choice Award – Aurecon, CPB Contractors, Lendlease, WSP and Metro Trains Melbourne
- Infrastructure Partnership Australia’s (IPA) National Infrastructure Awards 2019 – Government Partnerships Excellence Award – Aurecon, CPB Contractors, Lendlease, WSP and Metro Trains Melbourne
- Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards 2018 – Built Environment
Learn more about Aurecon's involvement in the Level Crossing Removal Projects: Blackburn, Heatherdale, Main and Furlong Roads
