Victoria has awarded a $496 million contract to remove level crossings at Manchester Road in Mooroolbark, and the Maroondah Highway in Lilydale.
A team of Laing O’Rourke and Jacobs will form an alliance with Metro Trains Melbourne to deliver the project, Victoria’s Major Transport Infrastructure Authority announced on December 30.
Each of the two crossings sits near a station on the Lilydale line, and both will be rebuilt under the newly awarded contract.
A rail bridge was chosen in both instances, with the state saying in August 2019 a rail bridge design would avoid land acquisition and take up to 18 months less time to build than alternative options.
The reconstruction of Mooroolbark station – just east of the Manchester Road crossing – will also deliver a new multi-deck car park with up to 450 new and upgraded stations.
The state says the project has also been designed to “lay the groundwork” for further upgrades, including the duplication of the Lilydale line and a potential new station between Mooroolbark and Lilydale.
Construction is expected to begin in mid-2020, and completion is targeted for 2022.