Tunnelling on Sydney Metro’s four projects has been completed.
The milestone was marked when TBM Jessie broke through solid rock in the future Hunter Street Station on the Sydney Metro West line, ending 34 months of tunnelling to build the four lines.
Across four projects – including Sydney Metro North West, City, Western Sydney Airport and West – 128km of new metro tunnels have been built, with 19 TBMs excavating 14.7 million tonnes of earth to carve out the twin tunnels.
For Sydney Metro West alone, more than 22,900 people and six TBMs worked to deliver Australia’s longest rail tunnels at 24km long. More than 141,400 precast concrete segments that line the new tunnel walls were manufactured on site at a purpose-built facility in Eastern Creek.
TBM Jessie’s breakthrough follows the arrival of TBM Ruby at Hunter Street at the end of last year. The machines spent 21 months building the 2.3km tunnels from The Bays, via Pyrmont and below Darling Harbour, to reach their final destination at Hunter Street.
The focus will soon shift to tunnel fit-out including the laying of tracks which is expected to begin by the end of the year.
When Sydney Metro West opens in 2032 it will double rail capacity between Parramatta and the CBD.
New South Wales premier Chris Minns saidit was a huge moment for the delivery of the “city-shaping project”.
“Metro West will transform Sydney, by joining our two biggest CBDs via a 20-minute train ride,” he said. “Few people would have an idea of what is going on underground, but today marks the end of the massive job that was tunnelling the 24km between Westmead and Hunter Street.”
Minister for transport John Graham paid tribute to the tunnelling crews.
“For those who cut through rock, we salute you,” he said. “This has been another world-class tunnelling job by a highly-skilled workforce. I want to thank the 23,000 workers who toiled underground to bring this massive tunnelling job to a safe completion. Their work has been seen by few but will be appreciated by many.
“These twin tunnels will provide a quantum leap in how our public transport system connects people to the places they need to access as the city’s west continues to grow in population and economic importance.”
