Overview
If you live in Melbourne's southeast suburbs, your commute is about to undergo a slight change. As of Thursday, February 15, a brand new elevated rail line will open, sending trains travelling on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines up into the sky, bypassing traffic below.
The new line will rise above Noble Park just before it heads into Dandenong. As part of the construction, Noble Park's Yarraman Station will move up into the sky too. This is set to open on Thursday along with the new route, which was being tested this past weekend.
This won't just affect train-takers, either — the elevation of the rail line means that three level crossings can be abolished. The boom gates at Corrigan Road, Heatherton Road and Chandler Road will be removed, which will hopefully speed things up a bit for cars during peak hour.
It's part of the Victorian Government's ongoing removal of level crossings across the city. Another six are expected to be removed along the Caulfield–Dandenong corridor this year.
Image: Chandler Road concept design.