Concrete slabs have been poured to prepare the new Old Calder Highway road bridge for asphalting work later this year.
The Old Calder Highway and Watsons Road level crossings are being removed, aiming to improve safety and ease congestion in Diggers Rest.
Since completing retaining walls and installing beams to form the Old Calder Highway bridge earlier this year, crews have poured about 800 cubic metres of concrete to create the base slab for the bridge.
The bridge will take traffic over the rail line south of Stan Payne Reserve, before turning north and connecting to Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road.
Work is also well underway on the new roundabout at the bridge’s intersection with the Old Calder Highway, which will ensure vehicles and cyclists can safely use the road bridge.
The bridge includes a raised cycling path to separate vehicles and cyclists.
Meanwhile, work is also increasing at Watsons Road, with utility works and piling on the eastern retaining wall almost complete.
Piling works on the western retaining wall will start in the coming weeks.
The new bridge will include separated pedestrian access, aiming to ensure connectivity across the rail corridor for future developments north of Diggers Rest.
Each day, more than 8000 vehicles use the two level crossings, with 27 trains travelling through the boom gates during the morning peak – creating 36 minutes of boom gate down time.
