Level Crossing Removal Project

The Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) is a program of the Government of Victoria, Australia, to remove 75 level crossings in Melbourne. After pledging the project at the 2014 Victorian state election, the Andrews Government committed $2.4 billion in the 2015-2016 budget to remove the first 20 crossings by 2018. The remaining 30 are expected to be completed by 2022 at an estimated cost of $6 billion to be funded through the privatisation of the Port of Melbourne. Prior to the 2018 state election, the Government committed to removing a further 25 level crossings, using a new prioritisation framework.

Background
When Melbourne's railway network was built, because of the city's flat topography and sparse population, many railway crossings were via level crossing rather than bridges or underpasses. As traffic levels increased, these began to become bottlenecks, both for road traffic as well as limiting the number of trains that can be run, especially at peak times. In 1954, the State Government established a committee to look at removing of level crossings at Clifton Hill, Elsternwick, Footscray, Moorabbin, Newport. These projects were all completed by 1960.

In 1983, the level crossing at Station Street, Box Hill was removed.

In the 2000s, level crossings were removed at Laburnum (2007) and a few others.

In the early 2010s, level crossings were removed at Epping, Nunawading (2010), Springvale (2014), Sunshine (2014) and Mitcham (2014).

As of 2014, there were 170 level crossings left on the Melbourne railway network and 228 places where railways had been separated from roads. Over two-thirds of these grade separations were constructed between 1863 and 1918, with fewer than one level crossing removal per year between 1918 and 2015. The commitment by the government to remove fifty level crossings over eight years represented the fastest rate of crossing removals in Melbourne's history.

History


VicRoads compiled a report of the most dangerous level crossings in Victoria and handed it to the State Government in 2014, which in turn prioritised the top 50 for removal through grade separation projects, honouring a commitment made in its 2014 state election manifesto. Many of the projects also involve the construction of new stations.

In September 2016, the Port of Melbourne lease was concluded providing $9.7 billion into infrastructure and securing funding for the remaining 30 level crossing removals.

A report by the Victorian Auditor General, released in December 2017, found that the level crossing removal project was unlikely to represent value for money for the state. The report criticised the LXRA for its haste in delivering the program, and found that the rapid pace of the project had contributed to a failure to properly assess the merits of each grade separation. The Auditor General stated that the value of the project was compromised by the apparent political motivation for some crossing removals at the expense of more dangerous or congested intersections.

In October 2018, LXRA surpassed the State Government's 2014 election commitment of removing 20 level crossings by 2018, having officially removed 29 crossings. The Andrews Government also committed to removing a further 25 level crossings if it won the 2018 state election, and has introduced a new prioritisation framework based on safety, congestion and proximity to emergency services to select the crossings.

Governance
The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) was formed in May 2015 as an administrative office of the then-new Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources to deliver the project.

Later, the LXRA led delivery of other rail projects, including extension of the South Morang railway line to Mernda and upgrades of the Hurstbridge line and Frankston station. Currently, authority is delivering a new stabling facility north of Wyndham Vale station and train storage at Kananook.

The LXRA was abolished as an independent administrative office following the 2018 state election and its functions were absorbed into the newly formed Major Transport Infrastructure Authority at the Department of Transport.

Original 50 crossing removals: 2014-2022
Below is the LXRA's list of 50 level crossing removals and 3 additional grade separations that will be gone by 2022:

* Park Road, Cheltenham; Mascot Avenue, Bonbeach and Lochiel Avenue, Edithvale were added to the committed 50 level crossing removals after further consultations. This pushed the number of level crossing removals to 53.

Additional 25 crossing removals: 2022-2025
The following 25 crossings are proposed by the State Government to be removed by 2025: