Melbourne's transport infrastructure has been undergoing a major makeover for quite some time – something which every Melburnian is painfully aware of due to the rampant roadworks and construction across the city.
Between the Metro Tunnel, West Gate Tunnel, North East Link and Level Crossing Removal projects, it's felt like Melbourne is just permanently under construction. Thankfully, some of these major projects are set to be completed next year, transforming how Melburnians will get around. But no pain, no gain – because the final stretch of the Metro Tunnel works will force Flinders Street to close to traffic for essentially the entirety of 2025. Yikes.
According to the state government, the Metro Tunnel is set to be ready for passengers next year. The tunnels are all up and running, but they need to be thoroughly tested before they can open to the public. So, Flinders Street has to partially shut down in order for this to happen.
From late January, the bustling CBD street will be completely closed to traffic between Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street, for the rest of the year. Yes, the entire year. The street will also be reduced to one lane of traffic between Swanston Street and Russell Street.
Pedestrian access will still be permitted along the whole street, except for the southern side of Flinders Street between Swanston Street and Russell Street, which has already been closed for years, and will continue to be closed until the end of 2025.
During the closure, the Metro Tunnel will be undergoing testing, and the Federation Square entrance to Town Hall station will be constructed. The construction of three of the new stations has already been completed, with Anzac Station, Parkville Station and Arden Station all being revealed earlier this year.
You can read more about the planned disruptions here.
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