By Luke Voogt
More than 200 new car parks have opened at Waurn Ponds Railway Station as part of a $1 billion upgrade of the Geelong line.
Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Michael McCormack on Wednesday announced the opening – the latest step in the station’s upgrade.
The upgrade, including a new platform and second track at the station, lays the foundations for the future duplication of the Geelong line from Waurn Ponds to South Geelong.
Federal government has invested $843 million in total for the duplication, the station upgrade and stabling works at Waurn Ponds.
State government contributed another $157 million to the projects, aimed at delivering more frequent and reliable services on Victoria’s busiest regional line.
Works began on the largest section of the car park upgrade while patronage was low amid COVID-19 restrictions, to minimise disruption to passengers and speed up construction.
Construction contractor Downer used recycled asphalt to pave the new car park, following state government’s recently-introduced Recycled First policy, Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said.
The asphalt included soft plastics from bags and packaging, and toner from print cartridges that would have otherwise gone to landfill, Ms Allan said.
About 20 per cent of the asphalt for the carpark came from Downer’s other road maintenance and construction projects across Melbourne, she said.
More than 3500 tonnes of recycled concrete from a local recycling site was also used in the construction.
Construction has begun on the new platform, second track and an accessible overpass, scheduled for completion in late 2021.
New car park entrances off Sugargum Drive and at Rossack Drive have opened, serving as temporary access points with the main car park and entrance now closed for piling works.
Workers are set to bore more than 70 piles with more than 500 metres of piling required for the new platform, pedestrian overpass, ramps, stairs and lift shafts.
The upgrade also includes extra lighting, CCTV cameras and landscaping, said federal senator Sarah Henderson, who joined South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman at the announcement.
“The local community will see construction ramp up at the station in the coming months, with work already underway on other sections of the Waurn Ponds Station upgrade,” Mr Cheeseman added.
