Excavation of the first of the North East Link’s two three-lane tunnels has been completed.
TBM Zelda broke through at Bulleen after digging just over 5km of the 6.5km North East Link northbound tunnel for Melbourne’s freeway network. The TBM was launched from Watsonia just under two years ago.
TBM Zelda is one of two 15.6m-diameter, 90m-long Herrenknecht machines Spark consortium has deployed on Victoria’s largest road tunnel from Watsonia to Bulleen. TBM Gillian is continuing excavation on the southbound tunnel and is expected to break through in the next few months.
The TBMs have installed more than 43,000 precast concrete segments made locally in Benalla.
Crews are now building the road inside the tunnels and installing electrical, lighting and safety systems.
Above ground works are continuing on key connections into the tunnels and the Greensborough Road boulevard.
The tunnels will provide a direct route for up to 15,000 lorries every day and reduce driver travel time by up to 35 minutes between Melbourne’s north and east. They are scheduled to open in 2028.
Federal minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government Catherine King saidthe breakthrough was an exciting milestone on a project that would transform travel Melbourne’s north-east.
“North East Link will reduce travel times for commuters and freight, while taking trucks off local streets in Melbourne’s northern suburbs,” she said.
