The City of Greater Bendigo is preparing to commence a $5.68 million project in mid to late October to remove and replace a 660-metre section of the ageing dual tram tracks in High Street and Pall Mall between Short Street and Mundy Street.
The City will be undertaking preliminary survey work this week from Tuesday July 29 until Thursday July 31 along High Street and Pall Mall. These works will require temporary lane closures at various times.
City of Greater Bendigo Engineering Manager Ian McLauchlan said this section of the tram track has not been renewed since the 1930’s and is now in need of replacement to ensure Bendigo’s famous talking trams can continue to operate.
“Bendigo Tramways is a much valued and loved local attraction for both residents and visitors and this work is necessary to help preserve one of Greater Bendigo’s most important heritage attractions into the future,” Mr McLauchlan said.
“During the works period this section of High Street and Pall Mall will be reduced to one lane on either side of the tram tracks and a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h will be applied through the work zone.
“The City strongly encourages motorists travelling between White Hills and Golden Square and beyond to avoid the area where possible and use Weeroona Avenue / Lucan Street / Barnard Street / Don Street as alternative routes to avoid any potential delays.”
Project works will include:
- Establishment of site and works storage compound in Sidney Myer Place, installation of temporary fencing, traffic barriers and signage
- Protection of the existing infrastructure including heritage poles and utilities
- Removal of existing historic granite cobble stones and existing track
- Earthworks to subgrade level and disposal of all excess material
- Installation of new track and associated infrastructure and reinstatement of cleaned granite cobble stones and asphalt road pavement to centre of adjacent traffic lane
- New line-marking
When the works are underway there will be no right turns allowed into Forest, Mitchell, View, Williamson, Bull, and Mundy Streets and Easter Fair Way from High Street and Pall Mall. Sidney Myer Place will be used as a work site compound and will be closed to traffic.
Right hand turns will be available at Short Street and Chapel Street.
Left hand turns will be available into High Street and Pall Mall from Forest, Mitchell, View, Williamson, Bull, and Mundy Streets and from Easter Fair Way.
The southernmost pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Pall Mall and Williamson Street will remain open during the works.
The northernmost pedestrian crossing at Mitchell Street will remain open for the majority of the project. However, the remainder of the intersections will be closed to crossing and right turning vehicle traffic.
Providing the project runs according to plan, the Forest Street and Mitchell/View Street intersections will be reopened in early November once this section of track replacement works have been completed.
Works are anticipated to take place between 7am and 7pm, seven days per week with the possibility of some night works. The project is expected to be completed by late November subject to weather conditions and the availability of supplies and materials.
The tourist trams will not operate while works are underway. For more information on the operation of the trams, visit: