CONSTRUCTION of the new car park at Warragul station and rail underpass connecting Alfred Street to Normanby Place has officially commenced with a sod turning ceremony at the site on Friday.
Above: inspecting the plans. From left: Narracan MP Gary Blackwood, Roads and Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder, PTV project manager Richard Willing and VicRoads project director Charlie Broadhurst. Photos by William PJ Kulich.
Summary:
- Construction officially declared underway.
- Underpass rainwater to be used at sale yards.
Workers removed tracks from the site last month and relocated the historic goods shed last year, but last week’s event marked the official start of construction.
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Roads and Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder, Narracan MP Gary Blackwood and Baw Baw Shire mayor Murray Cook conducted the ceremony to officially acknowledge the commencement of construction.
Mr Mulder said the project would make parking easier while reconnecting the areas of Warragul north and south of the tracks.
“This is going to change the total face of Warragul when this project is finished,” Mr Mulder said.
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“The way stations sit right in the middle of most towns and regional centres, they should be places people are proud of, and this particular project is certainly going to do that.
“The official website for Warragul railway station says there are 32 official car parks for the station. That means people are parking anywhere they possibly can around the station precinct if they want to get on board a train when the car park is full.
“Today’s announcement, the turning of the sod, is for an additional 200 car parking spaces, a covered pedestrian bridge across to the station, upgraded drop off facility, upgraded bus interchange and of course everything will be DDA (Disability Discrimination Act)-compliant.”
The second underpass is also expected to cut traffic on the existing Alfred Street overpass by half while the installation of a pump will see more efficient usage of water at the sale yards nearby.
“As part of the project there has been some additional funding allocated for when the underpass is completed for a pump to be installed to take water over to the sale yards and stop the sale yards from using [other] water,” Mr Mulder said.
“That will make a huge different to the use of water in the sale yards.”
Yes a good story for our town, but would be interested to know if the primary contractor will use local sub contractors and suppliers?