KILMANY’S redundant 60-year-old rail underpass has been demolished as part of the Princes Highway East Upgrade.
Nearly 20,000 tonnes of soil and 16,000 tonnes of concrete and steel were removed over 10 days.
The Major Road Projects Victoria project team has recycled the steel, soil and concrete to help reuse this material further down the line in the construction industry.
These works were recently completed while sections of the Gippsland and Bairnsdale rail lines were already closed to complete essential signalling and track works, helping to minimise added disruption for rail services.
The new Kilmany rail bridge is approaching one year in operation since passenger services first travelled over the bridge in July 2023.
In the final phase of the Princes Highway East Upgrade, the two Gippsland-bound lanes underneath the bridge, completing the duplication, will soon be open.
These works are set for completion in the coming months.
The Princes Highway East Upgrade – Stage 3 is set to complete an extra 12km of consistent two-lane highway. The new lanes will bring immediate safety improvements for up to 15,000 motorists who use this stretch of road every day and improve journey times between Traralgon and Sale.
A range of safety improvements have been delivered including, wider shoulders and centre median with flexible safety barriers to improve safety by reducing the risk of run-off road and head-on crashes.
Major Road Projects Victoria Program Director, Brendan Pauwels said that this stretch of road is also a gateway to a range of Gippsland tourist destinations including the snowfields and Gippsland Lakes.
“We’re one step closer to completing works on the Princes Highway East Upgrade with the removal of the old Kilmany rail underpass,” he said.
“It’s been a part of the landscape for nearly 60 years but now there’s an even greater sight on the horizon with the Kilmany Rail Bridge providing an amazing view for drivers and rail passengers.”
Gippsland Times
