Merrimac station construction update

Major construction

Throughout July and August 2024, major construction activities will continue within the eastern and western railway reserves.

Works will be undertaken between 7:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Saturday.

Works will include:

• Ongoing site access track construction, including completion of access track off Gooding Drive
• Ongoing works on public utilities, electrical relocations, soil nailing, shotcrete and conduit trenching.
• Ongoing rail corridor fencing changes and overhead gantry installations
• Ongoing earthworks and stockpiling of material which involves an increase in heavy vehicle deliveries from mid-July
• Ongoing surveying and environmental monitoring
• Ongoing construction of environmental management controls including sedimentation fencing and drainage channels
• Ongoing minor vegetation clearing in accordance with all relevant approvals, with fauna spotter / catchers in attendance
• Commencement of Gooding Drive roadworks, including night shift activities (see below for more details).

Rail corridor works

From Gooding Drive overpass to Red Ash Court, rail corridor works (including night works) are planned to occur outside normal working hours during scheduled track closures, pending construction and weather permitting conditions.

Works will include overhead pile foundations, fencing installation, rail corridor fencing change, earthworks and structural steel installation Works are planned on the following dates:

• From 6am Saturday 6 July 2024 to 6pm Sunday 7 July 2024 (24 hours)
• From 6am Saturday 27 2024 to 6pm Sunday 28 July 2024 (24 hours)
• From 6am Saturday 10 August 2024 to 6pm Sunday 11 August 2024 (24 hours)
• From 6am Saturday 31 August 2024 to 6pm Sunday 1 September 2024 (24 hours)

Gooding Drive roadworks commencement

From mid-July 2024, and in both directions from Ghilgai Road to Bourton Road, roadworks are planned to commence on Gooding Drive in both directions (weather and program permitting) to enable construction commencement of the new station entry intersection. These works are planned during both standard day shifts and nightshift, from 7:00pm to 6:00am, Monday to Saturday.

From August 2024, night works including cable, conduit and light pole removals and relocations will occur in the Gooding Drive centre median for around 4-6 weeks. These can only be undertaken at night due to safety and traffic management requirements.

Stakeholders located in proximity to the work sites will receive direct reminders prior to night shift works commencing. Noisier works will be scheduled for day shifts, where possible.

Day and night works on Gooding Drive will include:

• Ongoing site access construction, including completion of access track in the eastern rail reserve off Gooding Drive
• Kerb and footpath demolition
• Cable, conduit and light pole removal and relocations
• Pavement investigations and testing, line marking, road barrier installations and lane width reductions
• Ongoing temporary changes to traffic, including ongoing speed reductions and lane closures.

Work areas and vehicle movements

What to expect

• Construction activities may generate increased levels of heavy vehicles, noise, vibration and dust in the area. Every effort will be made to keep these to a minimum
• Construction activity and heavy vehicle movements will increase throughout July and August to transport rock, fill and other materials to the site via Gooding Drive and Entry Drive
• The initial layer of rock is currently being delivered and unloaded across the site. The imported materials will create level and stable ground to support heavy equipment and structures and is known as pre-loading
• The first layer of rock is required prior to fill and pre-loading activities commencing. Pre-loading and increased heavy vehicle movements are scheduled to occur from mid-July
• Ongoing temporary changes to pedestrian access and movements around Gooding Drive (both directions) and Entry Drive, in place until project completion
• Ongoing intermittent parking changes on local roads
• Establishment of a heavy vehicle waiting bay area, on Gooding Drive eastbound, in proximity to Boowaggan Road. Signage will be in place
• Workers and light vehicles accessing site via Crelga Court, Nisbet Place and Willunga Place
• Intermittent use of mobile light towers and safety lighting. Every effort will be made to position light sources away from properties
• The use of machinery including trucks (including water and fuel carts), graders, excavators, vac trucks, cranes, chainsaws, drill rigs, rollers, chainsaws, boom lifts and hand held tools.

Traffic changes:

• Intermittent daily and nightly single lane closures and speed reductions will be in place on Gooding Drive in both directions, between Ghilgai Road and Bourton Road
• Intermittent short-term delays and speed reductions will be in place on Gooding Drive eastbound, between Jura Parade and the rail overpass
• From late June 2024 to 5 July 2024, temporary traffic changes will be in place intermittently on Ghilgai Road and Entry Drive to facilitate material deliveries and the Gooding Drive access track construction. This includes a ‘no right turn’ from Ghilgai Road into Entry Drive, a temporary intermittent traffic light at Ghilgai Road (northbound only) and speed reductions on Entry Drive
• Traffic management and road signage will be in place to assist and direct motorists.

Until Sunday 7 July, there will be track closures and travel changes across the train network to undertake crucial Cross River Rail and Queensland Rail works. There will be significant changes to train services on the Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines.

On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 July, buses will replace trains between Varsity Lakes and Beenleigh as Cross River Rail undertakes works at the new Pimpama, Hope Island and Merrimac stations. We encourage you to consider your travel options, plan ahead and allow extra travel time by using the links below:

• Download the MyTransLink app
• Visit the TransLink website
• Call 13 12 30

If you want to know more, all of this information is available in PDF form:

• Works Notice – Merrimac station construction update – July 2024