Melbourne Removes Final Level Crossings on Key Rail Lines with Webster Street Underpass Opening

MELBOURNE, Australia — Victoria's transport network achieved a major operational milestone as the newly completed Webster Street road underpass in Dandenong officially opened to vehicular traffic, eliminating the final dangerous level crossings along three of metropolitan Melbourne's busiest rail arteries.

With the opening of the grade-separated roadway, the Victorian Government confirmed that the entire Pakenham, Cranbourne, and Sunbury rail corridors are now completely level-crossing-free. The achievement marks the culmination of a multi-year engineering initiative aimed at untangling road bottlenecks and modernizing suburban commuter rail infrastructure.

Prior to the grade separation, boom gates at the Webster Street crossing were lowered for up to 45 minutes during peak morning traffic windows, creating severe congestion across central Dandenong's commercial and industrial freight sectors. The new underpass directly restores continuous vehicular flow while enhancing pedestrian and cyclist access via dedicated protected ramps and illuminated shared-use paths.

State transport officials highlighted that removing these crossings provides critical operational clearance for high-capacity metropolitan trains running through the Metro Tunnel corridor, allowing for increased peak service frequencies and reduced commuter transfer times across south-eastern Melbourne.

Work crews have now shifted focus toward finishing surrounding civic landscaping, native vegetation planting, and community open spaces adjacent to the decommissioned rail surface tracks.