Sunbury is getting a second rail bridge crossing, but not the one residents have been waiting for.
Construction has started on the new $20 million rail flyover, situated in Villawood’s Kimberly estate.
The bridge, on Balbethan Drive, will be integral to the delivery of 2200 affordable new housing lots in the estate, according to Villawood.
It will also include access to three new schools, including the new Salesian College campus, access to sporting facilities, a resort-style residents’ club, access to childcare and other community facilities, access to a large regional park, and access to a section of Jacksons Creek that has not been open to the public for 100 years, according to Villawood.
Construction kicked off on Monday 27 October, with Sunbury MP Josh Bull and Villawood Properties chief executive Alan Miller on site to inspect the works.
Mr Bull said the project was vital to Sunbury’s future.
“This is an exciting milestone for a significant piece of infrastructure that will be warmly welcomed by the ever-growing and developing Sunbury community,” he said.
“In my role as Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, and Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure Delivery, I understand just how important these projects are, opening up new opportunities for residents in these areas, and for those looking to start their next chapter in Sunbury in the future.”
Villawood is undertaking the bridge’s construction on behalf of Hume council together with authorities including VicTrack, Metro and V/Line.
Star Weekly understands there are no planned disruptions to trains during the works, which are expected to take about 12 to 18 months to complete.
“This bridge will help the timely delivery of Kimberley’s housing supply to Melbourne’s popular new north-west growth corridor,” Mr Miller said.
“Kimberley will create not just sorely-needed homes for families but also hundreds of jobs. It will inject many millions of dollars into the local business community over the next decade and more.”
Calls for a second rail crossing in Sunbury have been discussed for some time, with the proposed site by council connecting Jacksons Hill with Sunbury South and the Calder Freeway.
As reported by Star Weekly, this connection received state government funding, and has been in the works for decades.
Mr Bull said they are two different projects, with the Balbethan Drive bridge being undertaken by Villawood.
“We are a growing community in the end, and we’ll remain focused on delivering infrastructure to make sure that people can get to and from work and recreation, each and every day,” he said.
