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 | Parsons Brinckerhoff, LXRA and Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM). Along with WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, 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 will remove nine level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs and see five railway stations rebuilt at Carnegie, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale, Clayton and Noble Park. It will 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.

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

The project is on track to be completed by end 2018.

Learn more about Aurecon's involvement in the Level Crossing Removal Projects: Blackburn, Heatherdale, Main and Furlong Roads