The Victorian Government has released the Environment Effects Statement (EES) for its new Melbourne Metro Tunnel which, not only details some of the disruption to be caused during construction, but provides a lot of detail on the proposed stations.
The new Arden Station will be located just south of the North Melbourne Football Club on Arden Street. The proposed entrance will be near the intersection of Laurens Street and Barwise Street, making it convenient for existing residents. Surrounding the station is an industrial area slated for urban renewal and provision will be made for a second entrance to the station on the south side of Arden Street.
Arden Station will be built using an advanced cut and cover approach as will the next station along, Parkville. It will be located under Grattan Street just east of Royal Parade in the middle of the University of Melbourne. The station will have two entrances for the University, and a third at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre serving the hospital precinct on the other side of Royal Parade.
The CBD stations next to Melbourne Central and Flinders Street will be built through a mined cavern approach, which will reduce the impact on Swanston Street and the city.
The CBD North Station will be located under Swanston Street between Franklin Street and Latrobe Street and will have entrances at those two intersections. It will also include a direct connection to Melbourne Central Station so passengers will be able to transfer to City Loop services without having to tap off and on.However, it is designed to operate independently of melbourne Central with its own ticket office and entrances to cope with increased passenger numbers.
CBD South Station will also lie underneath Swanston Street, between Collins Street and Flinders Street. It will have entrances in City Square, Federation Square and Flinders Lane, as well as a direct underground connection to Flinders Street Station.
The last new station is Domain which will be built 15 metres below St Kilda Road using a similar ‘cut-and-cover’ method to Arden and Parkville. It will include three entrances: one in the Shrine of Remembrance Reserve, one at the relocated Domain tram interchange, and another in the open space where the South African Soldiers Memorial is currently located.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the ESS also outlines the significant impacts on open space, roads and other transport, including temporary and permanent closures of some streets and occupation of public areas along the tunnel alignment. Some of these impacts will last three to five years during the construction phase.
“The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transport project in Australia. There will be years of disruption getting it done, but the benefits for Melbourne will last for decades,” he said.
An artist's impression of what the CBD North Station could look like. Image: MMRA