The Victorian Labor Government has approved the inclusion of a pedestrian overpass to the design of the brand new Mernda station that will be built as part of the extension of the South Morang line.
The pedestrian overpass will cost an additional $7.4 million that will come from the Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution (GAIC) fund.
“The pedestrian overpass at Mernda station has been made possible by our Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution, which is funding critical infrastructure in growing suburbs like Mernda, Doreen and South Morang,” said Minister for Suburban Development Lily D’Ambrosio.
The pedestrian overpass will allow commuters to catch their train more quickly and avoid crossing busy Bridge Inn Road to get to the station.
Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green said that “the pedestrian overpass will make it quicker, easier and safer to catch the train from the new Mernda Station.”
“It means passengers won’t have to cross busy Bridge Inn Road to get to the platform, improving both safety and traffic flow,” Green added.
Construction of the new station will commence in the coming months and will open to the public in 2019.
Around 8,000 commuters every day will benefit from the rail extension with three new state-of-the-art stations to be built as part of the eight-kilometre extension of the rail line – at Mernda, Hawkstowe and near Marymede Catholic College.
“This project will connect thousands of people in Melbourne’s north to train services and I can’t wait to see construction start,” said D’Ambrosio.
The rail extension project of the Labor Government will cost $588 million that will accommodate new train stabling north of Bridge Inn Road, walking and cycling paths between all stations, and up to 2,000 car parking spaces.
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