Preferred proponent chosen for METRONET Denny Avenue rail package

• Downer EDI chosen as preferred proponent for level crossing removal's rail component
• First of two construction packages with road proponent chosen in early 2020
• Railway Avenue tree removal marked start of project's early works
• Process to create business case for removal of six other level crossings continues

A lead contractor has now been chosen to build the METRONET Denny Avenue Level Crossing Removal major rail components, as early works on the project continue.

Downer EDI has been named as the preferred proponent to build the METRONET project's major rail component.

This level crossing removal will be delivered through two design and construction contracts and the successful tenderer will be tasked with raising more than 800 metres of track and associated infrastructure to enable a new road underpass to be constructed at Davis Road.

Two shortlisted proponents, Downer EDI and Decmil, have progressed to the next tender phase for the road portion of works. The tender for that component closed this week, with the contract to be awarded in early 2020.

Early works on the project - the first under METRONET's Level Crossing Removal program - began this year with geotechnical testing, demolition of buildings and removal of a number of Railway Avenue trees. Utility relocation will also start in early 2020.

Meanwhile, removal of six other level crossings on the Armadale Line is a step closer with Jacobs named the preferred proponent to create the project's business case.

Oats Street in Carlisle and Wharf Street in Queens Park, both on the Armadale Line, were among the first to be included in METRONET's Level Crossing Removal program alongside Denny Avenue.

Since then, preliminary planning identified the potential for more crossings to be included in the project scope, with the expanded scope now including crossings at Oats Street, Mint Street and Welshpool Road in one package, and Wharf Street, Hamilton Street and William Street in another.

Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:

"It has been exciting to see the progress made this year on Denny Avenue - the METRONET Level Crossing Removal program's first project and a major election commitment for the McGowan Government.

"Denny Avenue will join a program of six METRONET projects that will be under construction during 2020, which is an unprecedented upgrade of Perth's rail network.

"Residents of Kelmscott, Armadale, Clifton Hills and Roleystone are all too familiar with the frustration of the Denny Avenue level crossing and we look forward to delivering the solution."

Comments attributed to Armadale MLA Tony Buti:

"I have been calling for the Denny Avenue level crossing removal since being elected as the member for Armadale in October 2010.

"We now have a contractor to build the rail component of the project and soon we will start to see the Kelmscott town centre transformation take place.

"The McGowan Government is delivering what we promised and in coming years we will see the Kelmscott town centre revitalised further thanks to this METRONET investment."

Minister's office - 6552 5500