One of the two TBMs excavating Sydney’s Western Harbour Tunnel is set to reach the halfway point this week.
TBM Patyegarang, which Acciona launched in June, is on target to complete 780m of its 1,560m drive from Birchgrove to Waverton.
TBM Barangaroo was launched in July and has bored one-third of its 1,567m journey.
The two 15.7m-diameter CREG-manufactured TBMs are the largest ever assembled underground, and the largest to be used in the Southern Hemisphere.
At Waverton, excavation of two underground reception chambers has been completed.
Once the TBMs complete their journey around 50m beneath the harbour, they will break through into the chambers, connecting the new tunnels with the already excavated 2.8km section stretching from Cammeray to Waverton.
Measuring up to 23m high, 35m wide and 34m long, the chambers provide enough space to dismantle the two TBMs.
Constructed using roadheaders, the chambers have been designed to allow the TBMs’ cutterheads and shields to be detached, moved sideways and permanently sealed into the surrounding rock.
The future connection will link motorists to the WestConnex via the Rozelle Interchange, bringing the project a step closer to transforming the way motorists travel across Sydney.
The Western Harbour Tunnel remains on track to open to traffic in 2028. It is designed to reduce traffic in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel by 205 and on the Sydney Harbour Bridge by 17%.
