Ground-breaking milestone on METRONET project
- Tunnel-boring machine Sandy breaks through at Bayswater dive structure
- Ground-breaking milestone marks end of tunnelling on Forrestfield-Airport Link project
- Track installation on Forrestfield-Airport Link due to begin in July
- METRONET projects crucial to Western Australia's COVID-19 economic recovery
- Six METRONET projects to be underway this year, creating thousands of local jobs
Tunnelling on METRONET's Forrestfield-Airport Link is now complete after tunnel-boring machine (TBM) Sandy broke through at the Bayswater dive structure yesterday (April 20).
The 130 metre-long, world-class machine spent more than 900 days tunnelling through varied and sometimes challenging conditions - including under Perth Airport and the Swan River.
Sandy's arrival at Bayswater completed a total 16 kilometres of tunnelling for the visionary project - twin bored tunnels, each of eight kilometres and was achieved just nine weeks after TBM Grace arrived on February 18.
The tunnels will link three new stations at Forrestfield, Airport Central and Redcliffe to the existing rail network.
The TBMs installed 9,000 tunnel rings comprising 54,000 locally fabricated concrete segments to form the tunnel walls, which were designed and built to have 120-year durability.
With tunnelling now complete, TBM Sandy will be dismantled and craned out of the dive structure. Installation of the first stage of track slab is 50 per cent complete and track laying is scheduled to begin in July. Construction and fit-out of the station buildings continues.
The $1.86 billion Forrestfield-Airport Link project currently provides more than 700 Western Australian jobs and, along with the other METRONET projects, will play a key role in WA's COVID-19 economic recovery.
Trains are set to run on the new rail line in the second half of 2021.
Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:
"The completion of tunnelling marks a major milestone for WA infrastructure.
"While Western Australia has been grappling with COVID-19, TBM Sandy and the project team have been continuing to work on this incredible project for Perth.
"Construction of the stations also continues, as does the installation of track slab, with the first track expected to be laid in July.
"Completing the Forrestfield-Airport Link is a key element of our METRONET plan to connect Perth's suburbs and ease congestion, and will play an important role in WA's COVID-19 economic recovery.
"In times like these it's important we continue to progress projects that will provide work for local businesses and keep workers in their jobs, ultimately supporting the State's wider economy."
Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"In July 2017, Premier Mark McGowan and I were at the Forrestfield Station site to mark the start of tunnelling on the Forrestfield-Airport Link.
"Now I am happy to announce tunnelling is complete. TBM Sandy has lived up to her subterranean - and uniquely Western Australian - namesake in completing the second of our two tunnels.
"Thank you to the tunnelling team and other workers who delivered TBM Sandy to her destination and helped achieved this major milestone.
"As we turn to the project's next phase of construction, TBM Sandy's breakthrough is a timely reminder of the vital role METRONET projects will play in WA's COVID-19 economic recovery."
Premier's office - 6552 5000
Transport Minister's office - 6552 5500