Town Hall Station starts

Town Hall Station starts

Long-term changes to Flinders St to build the Metro Tunnel

Work has started on building an entrance to the Metro Tunnel’s new underground Town Hall Station at Federation Square. 

Sharing an iconic Melbourne intersection with Flinders Street Station, St Paul’s Cathedral and Young & Jackson Hotel, it will improve access to some of the city’s most important tourist destinations.

Traffic flow is now reduced along Flinders St with one westbound turning lane into St Kilda Rd closed between Russell and Swanston streets for up to four years. Drivers and cyclists can still turn left and continue onwards through the intersection towards Elizabeth St. 

Motorists are encouraged to plan ahead and allow up to an extra 15 minutes if travelling through this part of Flinders St.

Night works to prepare for construction of the Federation Square entrance are being undertaken in November from 10pm to 5am, with nearby lane reductions and road closures required in Flinders St, Swanston St and St Kilda Rd.

Traffic management will be in place during these times with detours clearly signed. Cyclists and pedestrians can still safely move through the area and tram services along Swanston and Flinders streets are not impacted. 

The dismantling and demolition of the former Melbourne Visitor Centre is underway. 

State Library Station update 

Construction is continuing at four sites at the northern end of the CBD for the Metro Tunnel’s new underground State Library Station. 

Piling will start soon on the corner of LaTrobe and Swanston streets as six months of archaeology investigations are completed. A basement slab at the site is also being demolished before piling begins. 

The first of six roadheaders which will dig deep under the CBD will arrive at the A’Beckett St site later this year. Roadheaders are massive excavating machines fitted with a boom-mounted cutting-head that will be used to excavate the State Library and Town Hall station boxes under Swanston St. 

These stations will be linked to Melbourne Central station and Flinders Street Station by underground pedestrian walkways, connecting Metro Tunnel services to City Loop services. 

Piling will also start on Franklin St between Swanston and Stewart streets ahead of an acoustic shed being built over the site next year. This section of Franklin St closed last month for up to two years to build the new station. 

When constructed, it will measure 18 metres high, 18 metres wide and 50 metres long and face another Metro Tunnel shed positioned between the City Baths and RMIT.

Acoustic sheds allow round-the-clock works which are necessary to dig out the 11-storey deep shafts. Crews have already excavated nearly 30 metres underground inside the sheds. 

For more information about the Metro Tunnel Project, visit metrotunnel.vic.gov.au, connect on social media or call 1800 105 105.

Since Labor has been in power …

Since Labor has been in power …

March 20th, 2024 - Evan Mulholland
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