Melbourne Is Getting A Massive New Train Loop And People Are Extremely Happy
They're calling it the biggest public transport project in Australian history.
The Victorian government has announced a massive new suburban rail loop, linking every suburban train line in Melbourne as well as Tullamarine Airport, in what’s being billed as the biggest public transport project in Australian history.
The Suburban Rail Loop project was announced by Premier Daniel Andrews via a Facebook video on Tuesday morning, and will allow commuters to get between different parts of Melbourne without having to travel in and then back out of the city as the existing train network requires.
The video shows proposed stations at Cheltenam, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood, Box Hill, Doncaster, Heidelberg, Bundoora, Reservoir, Fawkner, Broadmeadows, Melbourne Airport, Sunshine and Werribee.
The vast majority of the line will travel underground, looping north around the city. Regional rail connections have also been proposed for Clayton, Broadmeadows and Sunshine.
Work is expected to begin on the network in 2022, starting with the section in the south-east between Cheltenham and Box Hill. The whole thing isn’t expected to be completed until 2050, and could cost up to $50 billion.
Still, if it means I don’t have to go from Ringwood to Coburg via Richmond, then it’s got my vote.
This honestly makes me SO HAPPY!
Daniel Andrews – getting it *done* 👏👏👏#SpringSt #AusPol https://t.co/ISBJbd0sNO— Danielle Binks (@danielle_binks) August 28, 2018
the costs will be massive, it will probably take a generation to build, but it’s the kind of city-building work that needs to happen in my opinion because Melbourne won’t get smaller #springst https://t.co/R5l2nEJhyw
— angus livingston (@anguslivingston) August 27, 2018
The Andrews’ government’s idea for a massive suburban rail loop for Melbourne is the single best urban infrastructure project I’ve ever seen https://t.co/Sd8JYMBdKu via @theage
— Ben Eltham (@beneltham) August 27, 2018
Incredible. Potential stations at Doncaster (I know!?), Monash and the airport. #springst
— Luke Henriques-Gomes (@lukehgomes) August 27, 2018