Melbourne's Sunbury Line joins Lilydale as totally boom gate free after final level crossing removals, with two more lines still to come.
Melbourne’s Sunbury Line is now boom gate free following the removal of the final three level crossings.
The weekend works blitz saw boom gates dismantled at Old Calder Highway, Diggers Rest, and in Calder Park at Holden Road and Calder Park Drive. The new road bridge at Calder Park Drive opened to traffic last week, marking the 87th level crossing removal across Melbourne’s rail network. The Melbourne Sunbury Line achievement eliminates congestion for 108,000 daily motorists and removes four hours of boom gate downtime during morning peak periods.
The completed project addresses some of Melbourne’s most dangerous level crossings, with the line previously recording multiple fatalities and near misses. The Main Road level crossing in St Albans recorded two deaths and more than 60 near misses in the decade before its removal in 2016, while the nearby Furlong Road crossing saw three fatalities.
Melbourne level crossing removals
- Final three crossings removed: Old Calder Highway, Holden Road, Calder Park Drive
- Total of eight level crossings eliminated from the line
- New road bridge at Calder Park Drive opened 24 July
- Memorial garden at St Albans Station honours level crossing victims
- Project part of Victorian government’s Level Crossing Removal Program
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Why Melbourne has so many level crossings
When Melbourne’s rail network was established in the 19th century, many intersections used level crossings rather than bridges or underpasses due to the city’s flat topography and sparse population. As Melbourne’s population grew and traffic levels increased dramatically, these crossings became major bottlenecks for both road and rail traffic, severely limiting train speeds and frequency while creating dangerous conditions for motorists.
The Victorian government first recognised this growing problem in 1954, establishing a committee to examine removing level crossings at five Melbourne locations: Clifton Hill, Elsternwick, Footscray, Moorabbin, and Newport. These initial projects were completed by 1960, setting a precedent for future improvements across Melbourne’s expanding rail network.
Over the following decades, progress remained slow with sporadic removals including Station Street at Box Hill in 1983, Dorset Road at Boronia in 1998, and Middleborough Road at Laburnum in 2007. The early 2010s saw increased activity with crossings removed at Nunawading, Springvale, Sunshine and Mitcham, building momentum for the comprehensive program that followed.
110 level crossing removals by 2030
The Sunbury Line becomes Melbourne’s second boom gate-free rail line, following the Lilydale Line’s completion in 2024. The Lilydale Line made history as Melbourne’s first completely boom gate-free line after the final level crossings were removed at Coolstore Road in Croydon, Dublin Road in Ringwood East, and Cave Hill Road in Lilydale, with works completed a year ahead of schedule.
The Level Crossing Removal Project represents the fastest rate of crossing removals in Melbourne’s history, with the Victorian government committed to removing 110 dangerous and congested level crossings by 2030. As of 2025, 87 crossings have been eliminated and 48 train stations built or rebuilt as part of this ambitious infrastructure program across Melbourne’s metropolitan rail network.
The project began following the 2014 Victorian state election when the Andrews government pledged to remove 50 level crossings, with 20 completed by 2018. Additional commitments expanded the scope to 75 removals by 2025, then 85, and finally 110 by 2030. The program represents more than just infrastructure upgrade, delivering comprehensive urban renewal across affected communities.
100 kilometres without a level crossing
The boom gate-free status prepares the Sunbury Line for increased services when the Metro Tunnel opens later this year. The tunnel will connect the Sunbury Line to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in Melbourne’s south east, allowing trains to travel 100km from Sunbury without encountering a single level crossing once the Pakenham Line becomes boom gate free.
Melbourne passengers will benefit from new High Capacity Metro Trains featuring seven carriages that accommodate up to 20% more passengers. The enhanced capacity improves accessibility and prepares Melbourne’s network for growing demand across the expanding rail system, providing access to five new underground stations in the city centre.
The elimination of level crossings also enables more frequent and reliable services, with trains no longer delayed by road traffic or forced to operate at reduced speeds through intersections. This improved efficiency allows for better timetabling and increased capacity across the entire network.
Melbourne’s transport future
The Victorian government’s ambitious timeline will see additional Melbourne rail lines achieve boom gate-free status in coming years. The Cranbourne and Pakenham lines will complete their level crossing removals later this year, followed by the Frankston Line in 2029 and the Werribee Line in 2030, fundamentally transforming Melbourne’s transport landscape.
The project extends beyond simple level crossing removal, delivering comprehensive urban renewal across Melbourne’s suburbs. New and rebuilt stations at Ginifer and St Albans complement the safety improvements, while the memorial garden at St Albans Station honours all Victorians killed at level crossings throughout Melbourne’s rail history.
Construction methods have varied depending on local conditions, with some projects lowering rail lines into trenches while others elevate tracks above road level. The approach chosen for each location considers factors including available space, heritage buildings, underground utilities, and community preferences, ensuring optimal outcomes for each neighbourhood.
As Melbourne continues to grow as Australia’s fastest-expanding capital city, eliminating level crossings becomes increasingly crucial for maintaining efficient transport networks. The Sunbury Line’s transformation demonstrates how strategic infrastructure investment can simultaneously improve safety, reduce congestion, and enhance the liveability of Melbourne’s outer suburbs while preparing the city for continued population growth.
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