Over the past decade over 80 railway level crossings have been removed as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project, but out in Ballarat they’ve done something a little different – they’ve built a new road bridge beside a level crossing, but left it in place! So what gives?
Is this why?
Having a level crossing next door to a brand new road bridge isn’t unheard of – it’s a common staging tactic to keep road traffic moving while a level crossing is removed.
The first example that comes to mind is Somerton Road at the Craigieburn railway line – duplicated and grade separated in 2007.
And another is Kororoit Creek Road on the ‘express’ route to Werribee, duplicated and grade separated in 2011.
The level crossing at Anderson Road in Sunshine was moved to a temporary alignment in 2013 to make room for the construction current road overpass.
The ‘CD9’ project that removed nine level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong in 2017 built their new bridges parallel to existing level crossings.
And a temporary track was laid across Werribee Street in Werribee in 2020 to allow the new rail bridges to be built atop the former level crossing.
But in Ballarat – that isn’t why.
Some history at Ballarat
A two track crossing between the railway towards Ararat existed for many years on the Ballarat Ring Road in Wendouree, with flashing lights having been installed in 1978.
The level crossing being upgraded to boom barrier protection by 2010.
But we need another road
But for some reason the existing Ring Road wasn’t considered enough of road to provide access to new development in Ballarat’s west, so lobbying for a ‘Ballarat Western Link Road’ to the Western Highway commenced in the 2010s.
The first stage of this road was given funding in 2012.
Opening to traffic in 2018.
The new road ran parallel to the Ring Road much of the way.
This project involved delivering a two-lane, 3.2-kilometre long road between Remembrance Drive and Liberator Drive. Roadworks included in excess of 150,000m3 of bulk earthworks and associated services including drainage, pavement construction, asphalting, road sealing, line marking, sign installation, and lighting.
The scope of works also included re-alignment and re-construction of 1-kilometre length of Blind Creek Road, building a new single Span bridge overpass of the Ballarat-Ararat Railway and a combined wildlife- and- drainage crossing (18 multi-cell culvert structure) for Mullawallah Wetlands (Winter Swamp).
And crossed the same railway as the Ring Road did – but this time, with a bridge.
Located right next to the level crossing!
But for some reason, when the new road opened, the Ring Road and it’s level crossing was left open to vehicles.
Cleaning up the mess
In December 2022 the City of Ballarat commenced planning to close the level crossing – four years after the parallel bridge opened!
City to close Ring Road permanently
Ballarat Times
December 2, 2022
Edwina WilliamsBallarat’s Ring Road is to be permanently cut off at the train line from next year.
The road will be closed to allow for an upcoming freight centre within the Ballarat West Employment Zone, and works are expected to begin in February.
“The City of Ballarat will close a section of Ring Road as part of planning for the Intermodal Freight Hub,” said City of Ballarat director of infrastructure and environment Bridget Wetherall.
“Once constructed, the Intermodal Freight Hub will cater to long freight trains delivering and receiving goods for transportation.
“Without the Ring Road discontinuance, freight trains entering and exiting the freight hub would block the road, leading to lengthy delays and congestion for motorists.
“The process to discontinue Ring Road will commence in February 2023, through the normal statutory process for a road closure.”
Ms Wetherall said initial works are underway on the Intermodal Freight Hub site at the Ballarat West Employment Zone, and that the Ring Road closure process comes under an agreement between the City of Ballarat, Regional Development Victoria, and Victorian Rail Track Corporation.
Gazetting the proposed road closure.
Ballarat City Council (Council), acting under Section 206, 207A and Clause 3 of Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 1989 (Act) proposes to discontinue the road which is known as part Ring Road, Wendouree (Ring Road Railway Level Crossing), being Crown Allotment 2010 Parish and Township of Dowling Forest on Certificate of Title Volume 11731 Folio 679, as shown in the marked areas on the plan below (Proposal).
A diagram showing the affected parcel of land.
And running consultation with the public.
The City of Ballarat will discontinue a section of Ring Road to improve travel times and traffic flow, as part of planning for the new Ballarat Freight Hub being constructed at the Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ).
Ring Road will be discontinued at the level railway crossing (as shown in the map below) with turn-around areas established. The two sections of road on either side of the railway line will become access roads for the businesses and properties located there. Vehicles travelling between Alfredton and Wendouree will instead be able to travel the same route via Ballarat Link Road, using the railway overpass.
The road discontinuance is based on an agreement between the City of Ballarat Council, Regional Development Victoria and Victorian Rail Track Corporation (VicTrack). At the 25 March 2015 City of Ballarat Council meeting, Councillors resolved to agree to the future closure of the Ring Road railway level crossing in line with the construction of Link Road.
Temporary works to discontinue Ring Road and create turn-around areas are expected to begin in late December with permanent works to be budgeted for the 2023-24 financial year.
Including a diagram showing how little disruption the change would make to drivers.
But a few months later, nothing had happened.
Ring Road closure timeline uncertain
Ballarat Times
March 3, 2023
Edwina WilliamsAlthough works were expected to begin in February, the Ring Road has not yet been closed off to traffic at the train line between Bartlett Manufacturing and Mars Wrigley.
The road closure is planned to allow for an Intermodal Freight Hub which will be designed for long trains delivering and receiving goods for transportation, and cater to the Ballarat West Employment Zone.
Works have, however, begun on a separate Ring Road project just south of the train line to construct a roundabout at Gregory Street West.
Although the freight hub works were originally planned to start last month, City of Ballarat director infrastructure and environment Bridget Wetherall said the two projects will run to “different timelines.”
“The Ring Road and Gregory Street West roundabout construction and the future proposed discontinuance of Ring Road project are separate roadworks projects,” she said.
“The City of Ballarat is working closely with Development Victoria to facilitate the discontinuing of the Ring Road as part of planning for the Intermodal Freight Hub. A start date for the project is yet to be finalised.
“Works have already started to construct the $1.1 million roundabout at the intersection of Ring Road and Gregory Street West, which is expected to be completed by the end of May.
“The City of Ballarat has notified businesses on Ring Road about the changes and will continue to engage with them and work with them into the future.
“The process to discontinue Ring Road will be required to follow the normal statutory process for a road closure.”
About $565,000 worth of Federal Government Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program funding is going towards the roundabout and replacement off the crossroad, alongside $535,000 of City cash.
And fast forward to January 2025, and the level crossing is still open!
So how many more level crossings in Melbourne are going to be closed before this forgotten crossing also joins them?
Footnote: another Ballarat level crossing caper
Down the line at Avenue Road in Burrumbeet is something different – a level crossing reopening!
The level crossing was closed in the 1990s due to the opening of the Ballarat Bypass, but reopened in 2015 following duplication of the Western Highway, so that the Avenue of Honour from Ballarat could be reinstated as a continuous road.
Ironic, isn’t it?
“Without the Ring Road discontinuance, freight trains entering and exiting the freight hub would block the road, leading to lengthy delays and congestion for motorists.”
What greater “blockage” of a road can there be than a “closure”? Sure, there’s an alternative. One that drivers could already use.
I think this shows the benefit of a closure is not to the City of Ballarat, but to VicTrack. Would it be a correct assumption that the City of Ballarat is the organisation expected to get it funded and built? (Shades of road side maintenance on arterial roads – state government organisation neglecting their responsibilities and effectively requiring local government to organise and fund it.)
It does seem like handpassing here – the council doesn’t have to spend money to maintain the level crossing, but does need to spend money to discontinue it.
Well, it was called the level crossing REMOVAL project.
It just hasn’t started yet,
Though in the case of this level crossing it was a new road, and not an intentional level crossing removal.
[…] last week’s post about Ballarat’s level crossing removal that left the level crossing behind, I mentioned in passing the level crossing at Avenue Road in Burrumbeet that was reopened – […]