Welcome to this weeks look-ahead for works in the precinct. Over past editions we’ve highlighted milestones such as the opening of tram stops, footpaths and completion of base slab pours – this week we had probably our most significant milestone with the first train in the Metro Tunnel. In the wee hours on Tuesday 25 July, the first train slowly rolled its way from down through the eastern tunnel portal in South Yarra and came to rest at Anzac Station, aligning with the newly installed platform screen doors. One of the most prominent signs to date that we are on the home stretch for the project.
You can read more about the new arrival to the station here:
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/metro-tunnel-project/test-trains-enter-the-metro-tunnel
Meanwhile, works continue above ground, and below is a look at what is coming up next week.
- Utility Works – Bowen Lane to Bowen Crescent
Last week we finished the utility connection crossing over St Kilda Road, our thanks to everyone for their patience during these disruptive works. We rolled into this week into some more evening works, but thankfully without the night time road saws and excavators. The new street lights were installed along St Kilda Road, with CitiPower also conducting some of their own works at the same time. The project works side of things went well, and we’ve already seen some of the street lights illuminated.
We’ve finished the majority of our scope of works, but understand that CitiPower still have some works to complete and will still be in the area. The main activity will be a new pole erected at the intersection of Toorak Road and St Kilda Road.
Elsewhere, the utility connection works at the top of Bowen Lane are going well, we’re almost ready to tie in of the water main at the Bowen Lane end, but any tie in work needs to be coordinated with South East Water, which we’re currently doing. All going well this should happen late next week and means we will be able to move onto the stormwater connection here. The stormwater connection takes up a bit more real estate at the top of Bowen Lane, and will require pedestrians to be detoured onto a temporary footpath closer to St Kilda Road.
Access to 390 and 400 St Kilda Road will be maintained at all times, it is only the top section of Bowen Lane where we need to create a walk-around.
- Albert Road Reserve Station entrance
Last weeks’ Albert Road Reserve forecast was for formwork, steel tying, concrete pour – and there are no plans to mix this up for the foreseeable future as we make our way around the permitter of the entrance forming up the station walls.
As mentioned last week, works will continue until 10pm in this area.
- Albert Road legacy construction
This week we kicked off the latest round of drainage works in Albert Reserve, this has required taking up some of the parking in the eastern section of Albert Road and pushing traffic over towards Albert Reserve (retaining driveway access). These works will take us through all of next week, we’ll have an update next week on the next steps. Elsewhere, works are continuing to construct the legacy road alignment, including the egress lane out to Kings Way. The aim was to reopen this egress lane late next week, but it looks like this will push well into the following week, with unexpected services once again dragging the process out.
- St Kilda Road median works – South
Tree plot excavation was underway yesterday and today in the southern end of the job – while the kerb installation is almost done for the inner lane of traffic on the southbound side. This is the precursor for us switching traffic into the inner lane and commencing works on the drainage installation against the kerb (In front of the Royce Hotel, heading towards Toorak Road)
Speaking of drainage installation, that’s exactly what will be happening on the city-bound lane of St Kilda Road in front of the Toorak Road Tram stop. Next week the team will begin the excavation in this area, followed closely by the progressive installation of the pre-cast concrete drainage pipes that are currently stored on site waiting installation.
- St Kilda Road median works – North
The arrival of the first train in the tunnel has somewhat overshadowed a milestone that will be close to the hearts of many here in the local area – which is the planting of the first of our replacement trees on St Kilda Road. The recent completion of the works between Park and Dorcas Street means that we’ve given the green light for City of Melbourne to plant the first tree in the median. This is a tremendous milestone and a welcome reinstatement to the St Kilda Road heritage boulevard. I’ve included a photo of the first of these replacement trees going in today.
We are almost done in the section of St Kilda Road between Park and Dorcas Streets – the southbound lane still has some barriers aligning the road, as we finish off the last of the drainage installation through there. Early next week we’ll start some kerbing and landscaping works behind the barriers, and we’re hoping to get in with some asphalt late next week to finish this area off. Finishing may be slightly overstating it, as we do need to make the final drainage connection into site on the Shrine side of the St Kilda Road crossing at Park Street. We will need to come back later in August and finish off this section – we’ll provide a heads up when we do as it will likely mean a short term closure of the crossing as we excavate the last piece and lay the final drainage connection.
- Station box construction
In addition to last week’s exciting installation of carpet in back-of-house rooms – we’ve also started to lay the final tiling on the platform of the station.
- Shrine Entrance
This week you may have noticed a big new orange crane on site, this was lowering in the precast sections for the station entrance, next week we’ll continue with the preparations for the pouring of the roof slab on the station entrance.
- Park Street to Albert Road
Today we saw the excavators roll back into the footpath area to excavate for the tree plots for the new trees to be planted in this section of the garden bed in front of the Hallmark Building. The excavated tree plots are backfilled with soil and the irrigation installed, ready for the planting of the replacement trees through this area. We do still have some cladding and fencing to go onto the wall itself. We’re having issues with the manufacture and delivery of the specified tiles for this retaining wall, but rather than let that hold up the planting of the trees, we’ve decided to excavate the tree plots ready for planting.
We will however hold off on the ground level planting, as plants generally doesn’t respond well to tilers standing on them.
Have a great weekend
Rob and Remy
The Botanica 