The plans to close the Anderson Street level crossing at Yarraville station to through traffic and replace it with a bike and pedestrian underpass are moving ahead.
The closure of the usually car-choked street provides an opportunity to radically transform the attractive shopping precinct, boosting the commercial, social and cultural attractions of the village.
The area already draws many people riding bikes, but Anderson Street is often avoided, although it is one of the few convenient crossings of the rail line, so bad is the traffic and driver behaviour.
Now Anderson Street can be remade as a street for people, with an active transport corridor for bikes and pedestrians. and more space for outdoor activity.
A new underpass of the railway line for bikes and pedestrians, if designed appropriately as many international examples show, provides an opportunity for an active transport corridor through to Hyde Street where it is just a short hop to join the Veloway bike route to the Melbourne city centre.
Consultation is now open until 30 November 2025 for community input on the design of the underpass.
Boom gates are down for almost half of the morning peak, as up to 50 trains pass through the crossing – causing major congestion and delays for commuters.
Level Crossing Removal Project assessments found that closing the level crossing entirely is the safest and most effective design solution due to the narrow rail corridor and dense urban environment.
Across Melbourne’s inner west, five level crossings are being removed – in Newport, Altona, Spotswood and Yarraville.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams said: “We’re getting on with making the Werribee Line boom gate free and investing in Melbourne’s west to deliver safer, faster and more reliable transport connections.
“Removing the Anderson Street level crossing will transform Yarraville – changing the way locals live, work and travel for generations to come.”
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