Buckley Street, Essendon Preliminary options assessment November 2016 Florence St Grise Cres Mt Alexander Rd Raleigh St Pascoe Vale Rd Miller St Napier St Movement around Understanding the local area the area Elder Parade Lincoln Rd LXRA has undertaken studies Rose St When removing the Local schools and traders Fletcher St to identify how pedestrians, Flower St Buckley Street level crossing, Washington St ROUTE 59 TRAM In October 2016, we began speaking cyclists and vehicles use the area. Daisy St we have the opportunity to with local schools to better understand McPhail St The studies showed: Violet St improve the local precinct how students access their school. Royal Hotel and renew the area. • the level crossing carries Buckley St Understanding the way students, 15,000 vehicles per day Essendon Mt Alexander Rd We want to fully understand how customers and parents move through Station • there are 10 different bus each design option will benefit or the area at different times of the day services that connect with impact the area. To do this we want allows us to integrate feedback into the Nicholson St Essendon Station Buckley St the local community and people design and ensure that traffic is not only Forbes St Hoddle St Scott St Russell St travelling through the area to share reduced, but passes through the area • approximately 2,000 Waverley St as efficiently and safely as possible. people a day connect with St John's with us what is important to Loemanthem. St Robb St St Columba’s College Sherbourne St Cliff St Clarinda Rd Uniting Church Essendon Station by bus Mt Alexander Rd Buckley St • approximately 1,600 Lorraine St people a day connect with Essendon Station by car Buckley St • approximately 800 people a day connect with Essendon Station by tram Levien St • many local streets will experience lower traffic Leslie Rd volumes as drivers will no longer avoid the boom gates after their removal, Hutcheson St also leading to improved travel times into the CBD. Improving the local area Making Melbourne’s roads and While you wait As part of the project, we are identifying opportunities to rail safer, and less congested enhance the surrounding More than 15,000 area. These development vehicles cross opportunities will revitalise The Victorian Government to remove the level crossing and Buckley Street level the precinct and provide crossing each day is removing 50 dangerous have identified a preferred option. significant economic and social benefits to the wider community. and congested level The project has been working with Boom gates are key stakeholders, including Moonee We will provide better connections crossings, including at 78min down for an average Valley City Council, Public Transport to assist with possible developments Buckley Street, Essendon. of 78 minutes in Victoria, and local traders. Heritage that could include: the weekday peak Removing the level crossing at Now we're asking the broader between 7am – 9am Essendon Railway Station is accessed and how it interfaces with • cafes or wine bars Buckley Street, will improve community to provide feedback considered to be the most other transport, including bus safety, reduce congestion and • residential developments on the project designs and how representative example of the services and tram route 59. provide the opportunity to More than 30,000 we can transform and renew Federation Free style designed train • retail opportunities transform the local precinct. train passengers use the surrounding area. stations which was constructed • open spaces. Essendon station The Essendon Railway Station Currently, these boom gates are between 1909 and 1922, and Further information can be every week Complex is listed on the We want to hear more from the down for an average of 78 minutes demonstrates the expansion of found at our website: community about how locals use between 7am and 9am on weekdays. Melbourne and settlement of the Victorian Heritage Register due levelcrossings.vic.gov.au suburbs early in the 1900s. the Buckley Street precinct and An average of 190 to its architectural, aesthetic, The Level Crossing Removal or by contacting our project 190 how we can revitalise this area trains travel this social and historical significance Authority (LXRA) have investigated team on 1800 762 667. While LXRA will preserve the station for retail and residential growth. line each day a number of design options as part of this project, we will to the State of Victoria. investigate opportunities to improve its facilities, the way the station is Project benefits The Buckley Street Level Crossing Removal Project will deliver significant benefits to those who live and travel along the Craigieburn line: Improved safety Pedestrians and cyclists will no longer have to cross the busy and congested Buckley Street to get to and from Essendon Station, including many students at local schools. Boosting the economy By creating hundreds of jobs during construction, and improving opportunities for local traders. Understanding the Better connected different options Options ruled out Why no tunnel option? Maintaining the communities The project team has not pursued third track along There are many examples of these Rail bridge over existing road There are a number of a tunnel solution, as the rail track By removing the level crossing designs across Melbourne, and Essendon Station and providing opportunities factors to consider when This option has been ruled out due can only incline and decline on a all over the world. Public Transport Victoria (PTV) for better travel, we will create selecting a design for to a mix of challenges, including gradient of two per cent (meaning on are undertaking network rail better access to local shopping We will continue to undertake a extensive land acquisition and the a 100m length of track, it can only a level crossing removal. upgrade works across Melbourne, areas and schools. range of assessments to remove major work that would be required be raised or lowered by two metres). The most common ways to the level crossing, including: on the railway at Park Street and and as part of these works, they Considering this option would remove a crossing include: Mount Alexander Road. will be upgrading the third track Improved travel times • traffic, pedestrian and require a long tunnel entrance on at Essendon Station. • lowering the rail line under cyclist studies a gentle slope. This would require By allowing major east-west Road bridge over existing rail the road (rail under road) • precinct studies substantial property acquisition at This track will utilise Platform 1, connections for people coming • building a rail bridge This would require constructing a large the tunnel entrance and exit. currently not in use. The upgrade from Keilor, vehicle movements • geotechnical investigations over the road (rail over road) Buckley Street road bridge over the work will extend this platform to will be improved through the • hydrology assessments existing rail line and has also been Appropriate ventilation requirements allow for next-generation trains. area by diverting traffic from • lowering the road under along the tunnel can be intrusive in • utilities investigations ruled out, due to technical constraints. local streets. the rail line (road under rail) residential areas. From a construction • building a road bridge over • environmental studies Due to the hilly nature of Buckley perspective, such works could take the rail (road over rail). • flora and fauna investigations Street, this solution would require the up to five years. construction of a large bridge structure Please tell us what’s Other options include realigning • disability and access compliance along Buckley Street. This would make Also, the purchasing and manufacturing important to you – have roads and crossing points to • cultural and European connections complicated and potentially of custom built tunnelling equipment that is required to undertake the we missed anything? improve traffic flow and local heritage investigations. unsafe at Mount Alexander Road, and connections, and partially lowering also create significant visual issues drilling works can take over 12 months the road and raising the rail line, along Buckley Street. to obtain. known as a hybrid solution. Approved Windy Hill Future development Cricket Club development Essendon St John's What are Train Station Uniting Church the design Rose Street options for Russell Street the Buckley Street level crossing? We have investigated a number of options for removing the Buckley Street level crossing. Buckley Street While we have not finalised a final solution, based on our current assessments we have a preferred option that avoids private land acquisition, and improves traffic flow through and around the area. Option 1 (preferred option) Lowering Buckley Street beneath the existing rail line, with the rail line remaining at its current level. Benefits: • minimises rail shutdown times during construction and minimum • no acquisition of private property inconvenience to commuters • additional lane for local traffic • safe and local connectivity • opportunity to transform the for traffic and pedestrians Essendon Activity Centre and • shortest construction period local precinct, creating a required, meaning less connected transport hub and disruption to the community revitalised community area • pedestrians and school 5.5m • no impact to heritage students will not have to Rose Street Russell Street station precinct cross a major arterial road. • improvements to station facilities and connections Challenges: • removes arterial traffic that • some right turns into local Buckley Street service road Buckley Street service road currently diverts into local streets would be removed Footpath to Rose Street Buckley Street underpass to Russell Street Footpath streets to avoid the level crossing • ability to cross over Buckley Street would be reduced. We also considered four other options which are detailed below These options have significant challenges with property acquisition impact to the heritage precinct. Option 2 (ruled out) Raising the rail line onto a rail bridge Rail Over with Rail Over with over Buckley Street.