Two lanes for St Kilda Rd for the first time in six years

St Kilda Rd has reopened to two lanes of traffic in both directions around the new Anzac Station for the first time since 2018.

Crews are now shifting their focus to testing high-capacity signalling, running trains and putting Victorian-first platform screen doors through their paces, ahead of the Metro Tunnel opening to passengers in 2025.

St Kilda Rd was reduced to one lane between Dorcas St and Toorak Rd to allow for Metro Tunnel construction.

Since then, crews have built and dismantled a giant green shed used to contain noise and dust and realigned the St Kilda Rd tram and car lanes as construction on the station continued.

Separated bike lanes have also been installed, improving safety for the 3500 cyclists that ride along the busy arterial every day.

Anzac Station will provide a direct rail connection to St Kilda Rd for the first time and relieve pressure on local trams and roads.

Extra-large tram platforms at Melbourne’s first direct tram-train interchange will accommodate up to four trams at any one time to cater for large crowds for events such as Anzac Day and the Grand Prix. 

Minor work will continue along St Kilda Rd with final line marking to be completed as construction begins to wind down.

Test trains are continuing to be run through the project’s twin nine-kilometre tunnels and enormous progress is being made on the five stations with key architectural features, lights and seating installed.

The comprehensive testing phase includes tests to check the new signalling, lifts, escalators, security systems, passenger information and the Victorian-first platform screen doors are all working effectively together.

There will be a one-week closure of St Kilda Rd southbound between Dorcas St and Toorak Rd in April to allow for tram tracks to be built for Domain Rd.

The Metro Tunnel will connect the busy Sunbury and Cranbourne/Pakenham lines via a new tunnel under the city, creating an end-to-end rail line from the north-west to the south-east, freeing up space in the City Loop to run more trains on other lines. •