Level crossing and station developments announced last week will create opportunities to get more and better facilities for bike riders in Yarraville, Spotswood, Newport and Altona.
These suburbs on the rail line to the south along the west side of the Bay have the ideal geography for commuting to work, education and railway stations, and are also perfect for recreational riding.
Changing demographics are creating communities eager to use their bikes more, all that is needed is for attractive and connected bike networks come their way.
Three level crossings are to be removed on the Werribee line by grade separation while two others will be closed.
Spotswood will see the Hudson Road level crossing removed, most likely with an elevated road bridge plus a new station.
This project will be crucial for active transport uplift: already vital new local links for the Federation Trail and the Bay trail are under construction along with Hobsons Bay City’s plans for north-south trails along Hall Street and across got the west with the massive new residential expansions on the former industrial sites along the West Gate Freeway in Yarraville and Alton North.
The elevated road bridge proposal will create space for all these routes to connect at Spotswood Station without using busy Hudson’s Road.
Nearby Yarraville will see hectic Anderson Street closed at the station, a transformative development for this attractive shopping village which was for years in the chokehold of traffic congestion.
Now, with motor vehicle access reduced, and a new underpass at the rail line, active transport can come to the fore and Yarraville can be prioritised for people rather than cars.
Down the track at Champion Road, Newport, the level crossing will be closed and replaced by a new grade-separated crossing for pedestrians and bikes that will connect to the local path network.
The next crossing, Maddox Road will also be replaced with a new elevated rail bridge, providing further options for linkages among the path network currently being planned for the area by the council.
At Altona the Maidstone Street crossing, a road bridge will be built to avoid disrupting important utilities and maintain connections for this industrial area.
The Member for Footscray, Katie Hall said: “We're closing Anderson Street in Yarraville to provide a safer transport system for pedestrians and commuters.
"This is an opportunity to future-proof our precinct, and I encourage the community to engage with future consultations and put their views forward for a safer, better Yarraville.”
The projects will be completed by 2030.
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