Junee underpass to shut during major rail possession

JUNEE will be reduced to just one crossing over the rail corridor next weekend as major upgrades are carried out at the Olympic Highway underpass.

The underbridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians for 60 hours, from 6pm on Friday, September 11, until 6am on Monday, September 14, leaving the central level crossing as the only link between the eastern and western sides of town.

The Olympic Highway underpass has carried increased traffic since the Kemp Street bridge was closed and demolished in September 2025.

Its closure will funnel all traffic crossing the rail corridor through the town centre, with motorists warned to expect increased congestion and delays throughout the weekend.

© The Junee Bulletin

The shutdown forms part of an extended rail possession beginning September 12, during which Inland Rail contractor Martinus will undertake major track, bridge and associated works across several sites in Junee.

READ MORE: Questions mount as bridge build blows out

While the main possession is scheduled to run for 96 hours, associated work will begin at some locations on Friday night and continue until Thursday, September 17.

Construction will continue around the clock, including throughout the night.

Image: Inland Rail

Olympic Highway underpass

At the Olympic Highway underpass, scaffolding will be erected beneath the rail bridge to allow workers to safely remove and replace the ageing timber transoms supporting its open railway deck.

Crews will also readjust, tamp and destress the track, undertake geotechnical investigations and operate construction compounds and laydown areas.

Although rail work at the site is scheduled to continue from 6pm Friday, September 11, until 7am Thursday, September 17, the road beneath the bridge is expected to reopen at 6am on Monday.

Traffic will be diverted via Main Street, Broadway, Lord Street, Queen Street and the Olympic Highway during the 60-hour closure.

Temporary changes will also be made to the free community shuttle to maintain pedestrian connections between both sides of the railway line.

Two additional stops will operate throughout the closure period, with stop five on Illabo Road and stop six on Cedric Street.

Railway footbridge

Another significant piece of Junee’s railway history is also expected to disappear during the possession, with the old pedestrian footbridge at Junee Railway Station slated for removal.

The decommissioned structure has sat unused at the station for decades and was originally expected to be dismantled during an earlier possession this year.

Crews working in Junee Yard will also replace a track crossover and undertake tamping, destressing and geotechnical investigations.

Work is scheduled at the yard continuously from 6pm Friday, September 11, until 7am Thursday, September 17.

© The Junee Bulletin

Kemp Street Bridge

Construction will also continue at the Kemp Street bridge site, despite the suspension of its concrete girder installation operation last month.

Concrete pours are scheduled to take place between 6pm Saturday, September 12, and 7am Wednesday, September 16, along with the installation of formwork and steel reinforcement.

READ MORE: Kemp Street bridge to be out of action for two years

Deliveries will continue to the site, while the construction compound at Wright’s Oval will remain in operation.

The planned works come after the operation to install 16 enormous concrete girders on the new bridge was abruptly halted following the first lift on August 21.

Inland Rail confirmed the lifts had been paused while its contractor conducted a safety reassessment of the method being used to move the spans into place.

READ MORE: Girder lifts halted over safety concerns

Only one of the 16 girders has been installed, with the 700-tonne crane used for the operation dismantled and removed from Junee on September 2.

Inland Rail has not announced when the remaining girders will arrive or when the lifting operation will resume.

© The Junee Bulletin

Illabo level crossing

Out-of-hours work will also be carried out along the rail corridor between Junee and Illabo from 6pm Friday, September 11, until 7am Wednesday, September 16.

Crews will undertake track works, including tamping and ballasting, along with construction activities at the Brabins Road level crossing in Illabo.

The crossing will close to traffic for 60 consecutive hours, from 6pm Friday until 6am Monday, September 14.

It will close again from 6pm Monday until 6am Tuesday, before a final overnight closure from 6pm Tuesday until 6am Wednesday.

Motorists travelling through the area should allow additional time and follow the signposted detours while the closures are in place.

The September shutdown will be followed by a further 36-hour rail possession on November 7 and 8, with another 96-hour possession scheduled for March 2027.

Inland Rail has warned that scheduled activities may be cancelled at short notice because of weather or other factors.

Any cancelled work will be rescheduled, with affected residents to be notified in advance.