Track laying has finished in one of the Sydney Metro railway tunnels under Sydney Harbour, marking a major milestone in the Metro from Chatswood to the city to Bankstown.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today inspected the completed tracks on the Blues Point side of the northbound tunnel, which is about 40 metres below the harbour’s surface.
The tracks in these tunnels connect the future Barangaroo and Victoria Cross (North Sydney) Metro Stations.
“Around 50,000 people will have worked on this incredible city-shaping project by the time services start in 2024, with about 800 involved in the tunnel fit out and 5,000 currently working on the project,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“It will take just three minutes to travel between the new Victoria Cross Station at North Sydney to Barangaroo Station using the tunnels, transforming the way we travel around our great city.”
Track laying in the southbound Metro harbour tunnel has reached 30% and will be complete by the end of July.
“The 800 metre-section of track in the northbound Metro harbour tunnel is complete, after 1,200 railway sleepers and 2,100 tonnes of concrete were installed,” Mr Constance said.
“More than 4,000 tonnes of Australian steel has been used for the 31 kilometres of tracks from Chatswood to Sydenham, including 200 tonnes under the Harbour.”
Sydney Metro line-wide contractors Systems Connect, a joint venture between CPB Contractors and UGL Limited, took over the harbour tunnels in December last year to lay the tracks and fit out the tunnels.
Metro trains will start running through the harbour tunnels in 2024, extending the North West Metro, into the city and beyond to Bankstown.
New stations are being delivered at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street and Waterloo, along with new underground platforms at Central Station.