Their pace is being matched across all seven of our now operational construction sites, with many milestones reached in 2017. The last twelve months have seen the establishment of the segment yard and tunnelling operations plant in Forrestfield, excavation at Airport Central Station reach base slab, and diaphragm walls (d-walls) constructed at Redcliffe and underway at Bayswater. We have also temporarily relocated the Midland Line and started work on all three emergency egress shafts.
It has been our busiest year on the project yet, and while it is nice to reflect on what has been achieved so far, we are also excited about what 2018 has in store, including our first TBM break through at Airport Central Station around late-February. There will be plenty more to update you about in the new year, until then we wish you a safe and happy festive season.
Local station to be named Redcliffe
The first station on the Forrestfield Line will now be called Redcliffe. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti announced the name change on December 4, after 81 per cent of residents identified Redcliffe as their preferred name. During a one-month online survey, 691 of the 852 respondents voted for Redcliffe over Belmont to reflect the station’s geographical location. We know many residents will be thrilled with the result. Thank you to all those who took the time to vote. Read more.
Construction of the new station is already well underway. The part-closure of Brearley Avenue in January 2017 was followed by the establishment of the construction site for Redcliffe Station. This involved the relocation of utilities, some clearing and fence installation.
Over the past six months, concrete walls were poured for the underground station using the d-wall construction method. Construction of the ground slab has begun and once completed, soil will be excavated within the station box. This will be ongoing until mid-2018, when the concrete base slab is poured.
Jet grouting began in November to construct a cross passage between the tunnels along Brearley Avenue, near First Street. The jet grouting has now finished and the process will continue with core drilling in mid-January.
Full steam ahead at Forrestfield
It has been a big 12 months for our Forrestfield site, with construction of the tunnel portal and dive structure on one side of Dundas Road, and key infrastructure on the other.
The plant on this site plays a major role in supporting the operation of the two tunnel boring machines. While tunnelling continues, work at ground level is underway with construction of the Forrestfield Station retaining wall. Following the Christmas break (December 23 – January 2), work will continue on the retaining wall and begin on the Dundas Road realignment.
The facility to produce concrete segments for the tunnel was also established during 2017. To date, 2030 of the 9000 rings (each made up of six segments) have been produced. The segments are trucked to the Forrestfield site, then transported into the tunnels by multi-service vehicles.
Work is continuing at the emergency egress shaft along Abernethy Road. Excavation of the egress shaft is nearing completion. In the new year, the construction team will commence the base slab and cross passage connection.
Bayswater works on track
After months of construction and rail works, trains are now operating on the temporarily relocated Midland Line. This allows the team more space over the next two years to construct the Bayswater Junction and supporting rail.
A retaining wall, 500m long and up to 5m high, was built to support the line. Now that the line is operating, our construction site on Railway Parade will be demobilised, with the removal of site offices and laydown areas apart from an area set aside for storage. Traffic management, which has been in place along a section of Railway Parade, will be removed and the road will return to two lanes being open to motorists.
Works will now focus on building the tunnel portal at the Bayswater Junction. D-wall construction has now begun, as well as works to divert the local cycle/pedestrian path that will link Guildford Road and Whatley Crescent.
Nearby, d-walls are being built for an emergency egress shaft at Wright Crescent. After the Christmas break, the d-wall construction will continue until late January. Once completed, jet grouting of the cross passage will begin.
Airport Central prepped for TBM arrival
The landscape alongside the Perth Airport control tower has changed a lot in 2017. What was predominately carparking, is now a construction site for the Airport Central Station. All of the work must be done within an operating airport.
The walls of the underground station box were completed in July, since that time soil within the structure has been excavated. The concourse slab will be laid within the next few weeks in preparation for the arrival of the tunnel boring machines early next year.
TBM Grace is expected to arrive late February 2018, followed by TBM Sandy in late March.