Road closures and bus services set for works blitz

The Pakenham station is set to open on Monday 3 June. 403426 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Sections of a number of major Pakenham roads will be closed over the coming week due to ongoing Level Crossing Removal Project works.

Both of the new elevated Pakenham and the new Pakenham East stations are set to be opened on Monday 3 June, with works underway to remove the level crossings at Main Street, McGregor Road and Racecourse Road.

As part of these works, the following road closures will be in place as crews remove the boom gates:

* McGregor Road from 7am on Sunday 19 May to 7am on Monday 20 May;

* Racecourse Road from 7am on Monday 20 May to 7am on Tuesday 21 May; and

* Main Street from 7am on Tuesday 21 May to 7am on Wednesday 22 May.

Motorists are asked to follow the direction of traffic management and to allow extra time when travelling in the area.

The closures will also see buses replace train services between Dandenong and Pakenham from 9.30pm on Friday 17 May to the last service on Tuesday 21 May and between Berwick and Pakenham from Wednesday 22 May until the last service on Sunday 2 June.

While train services are stopped, crews will connect the existing tracks to new tracks on the rail bridge, demolish the old Pakenham Station and build foundations for the new station, conduct signalling and overhead works, and remove three level crossings.

The level crossings at McGregor Road, Racecourse Road and Main Street are being removed by building a 2.5-kilometre rail bridge over the roads, improving safety, reducing road congestion and allowing more trains to run more often.

The two-kilometre extension of the Pakenham Line will connect trains to the new East Pakenham Station.