Major tram upgrades on St Kilda Rd

By Steven Nguyen

Southbank will see traffic and tram closures until mid-July, with major upgrades to the St Kilda Rd tram corridor beginning last month.

Works started on June 27 and will run through until Monday, July 12, with traffic being diverted to Punt Rd and Kings Way while St Kilda Rd remains closed to vehicles and trams between Flinders St and Southbank Boulevard.

Southbank Boulevard has also been closed between St Kilda Rd and Sturt St.

Tram routes impacted by construction works include 1, 3, 3a, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67 and 72, which have all been diverted to other stops.

The Federation Square/Flinders Street Station tram stop on St Kilda Rd is undergoing upgrades including a larger platform, improved disability access and new shelters, to reduce overcrowding and improve passenger flow between Flinders Street Station and the stop.

Crews will also replace nearly 600 metres of tracks on Swanston St and St Kilda Rd as part of the upgrade, providing a safety boost for passengers, quieter infrastructure and a reduced risk of derailments.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Ben Carroll said the stretch from Southbank Boulevard through to Melbourne University was the busiest tram corridor in the world.

“These improvements will create a better travel experience for both commuters and people visiting some of Melbourne’s most popular attractions like Federation Square and the Arts Precinct,” he said.

As more passengers return to the network, the real-time arrival and passenger capacity indicator RideSpace is being trialed on tram route 59 which travels between Essendon and the city.

During the coming months, this tram trial will assess passenger counting technology and data accuracy before being rolled out to passengers.

“We already know millions of customers are accessing valuable real-time information through RideSpace for the train network each week, and now we’re taking steps to roll this out to other public transport modes,” Minister Carroll said.

The upgrade is part of the Victorian Government’s maintenance and renewal program, which delivered $640 million of works across the public transport network this financial year.

The St Kilda Rd business precinct and Shrine of Remembrance will be accessed by the new Metro Tunnel Project’s Anzac Station when it opens in 2025. The new station is strategically located to ease pressure on the St Kilda Rd/Swanston St tram corridor and will include an interchange with a tram super stop on St Kilda Rd •