The dangerous Abbotts Road level crossing will be history by early September following a 10-day construction blitz that will complete the new single-track rail bridge ahead of schedule.

Member for Dandenong Gabrielle Williams said that the removal of the level crossing would mean a safer and better-connected community.

From the evening of Tuesday 28 August to the morning of Saturday 8 September, buses will replace trains between Dandenong and Cranbourne as crews put the finishing touches on the 410-metre-long bridge over Abbotts Road.

Traffic management will remain in place however no extended closures of Abbotts Road are expected during these works, with access also maintained for local businesses.

Works will include the removal of the boom gates and existing track, and installing and connecting the new track, signalling and power.

The new rail bridge, located between Dandenong and Lynbrook stations on the Cranbourne line, began to take shape last month following the delivery and installation of the first L-shaped concrete segments.

In total, 30 segments up to 31 metres long are being craned into place and joined together in pairs, forming the viaducts that trains will eventually run on.

The completion of this bridge will mean that the 22,000 vehicles using Abbotts Road each weekday will never again be frustrated by boom gate delays and, along with train drivers, will no longer have to fear a level crossing which has sadly been a scene of tragedy over the past decade.

In addition to the significant safety benefits, the much-needed separation between road and rail also ensures that enough space remains for duplication of both rail and road in the future.

Planning for the future duplication of the Cranbourne line and associated works at the Dandenong and Caulfield junctions has been funded in the Victorian Budget 2018/19, with $572 million allocated to deliver further upgrades to Melbourne’s busiest rail corridor.

The road network surrounding the Abbotts Road level crossing is also set for an upgrade, with a two-kilometre section of Pound Road West and Remington Drive to be duplicated from two to four lanes and connected by a new road bridge over the Cranbourne line.

The Abbotts Road level crossing was originally scheduled for removal in 2019, with this announcement confirming delivery many months earlier than planned.

Commuters are also reminded that other works will be taking place elsewhere on the Cranbourne/Pakenham lines at times leading up to – and during – the Abbotts Road construction blitz.

For disruption information and to find your Plan B travel option, visit bigbuild.vic.gov.au