State Library Station entrance will be a key landmark in the heart of the CBD

The striking main entrance for the new State Library Station is set to become an important new landmark in Melbourne’s CBD.

Metro Tunnel crews have begun craning in the first of six massive entrance beams that will complete the entrance’s main structure, with the final beams expected to be in place by October.

The 70-tonne beams will sit atop a dozen towering columns to form the entrance near the corner of La Trobe and Swanston streets, reflecting the grand scale of the State Library of Victoria diagonally opposite.

It will feature a world-class artwork by contemporary artist Danie Mellor as part of the Metro Tunnel Legacy Artwork Program.

The station entrance will become an important marker for its street corner, according to Victorian Government Architect Jill Garner.

“Diagonally opposite the grand portico of the State Library, the new station entrance is also designed as a city-scaled colonnade,” Ms Garner said.

It will be a recognisable place that tells you you’ve arrived at the academic part of Melbourne’s Swanston St spine.

A section of La Trobe St was closed to vehicles in early September for up to 12 months, as work ramps up on the station.

The eastbound lane between Elizabeth and Swanston streets is closed to vehicles and cyclists with detours in place.

Pedestrian access is being maintained and trams are continuing to run along La Trobe St.

Below ground, work is continuing on the pedestrian underpass that will link the new station to Melbourne Central Station and City Loop services. Crews have finished fitting platform screen doors and are currently installing escalators.

State Library Station is one of five underground stations being built as part of the Metro Tunnel Project, the biggest rail project in Victoria since the City Loop.

The project will bring a world-class public transport experience to Melbourne, said Ms Garner.

“It will make catching the train a memorable experience and it will be a preferred way to get to certain parts of the city,” she said.

“Metro Tunnel is not a generic design. It will be recognisably ‘Melbourne’, with each station drawing on the particular qualities and characters of their place.”

The Metro Tunnel will open to passengers in 2025, a year ahead of schedule. •

For more information: bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/metro-tunnel