Major Projects Unit
The PTA’s Major Projects Unit was established to deliver high-risk, high-value, complex public transport and freight railway infrastructure projects. It was formed in July 2009 and has established a core management team – supported by specialist resources engaged on an as-needs basis – to oversee the delivery of these projects.Projects on the MPU books as at June 30 were:
Joondalup Line extension
This $241 million project, due for completion in December 2014, is a 7.5km extension of the Joondalup Line from Clarkson to a new Park ‘n’ Ride and bus transfer station at Butler. The scope of work includes all rail, rail systems and signalling for the extension, three road bridges, communications systems improvements between East Perth and Nowergup, additional track for railcar stowage at Nowergup Depot and additional track and service facilities at Mandurah Depot. The project also includes the acquisition of 11 new buses to service expanded bus routes in the north-west corridor and to provide more frequent peak feeder bus services between Butler and Clarkson.
A project management team has been established and specialist design resources are being engaged. Tenders are being arranged for station design, bridge design, earthworks, drainage and cable works and orders have been placed for the supply of rail and signalling equipment.
Perth City Link Transport
This $609m project includes undergrounding a section of the Fremantle Line in the CBD immediately west of the Horseshoe Bridge and the construction of a new underground bus station to replace the Wellington Street Bus Station. The project will be implemented in stages with the underground railway being complete by mid-2014 and the bus station complete by mid-2016. PCLT is enabling works for the larger Perth City Link project which includes the urban renewal to be undertaken by the East Perth Redevelopment Authority (EPRA) after the PTA works are complete.
PCLT planning was undertaken through 2009 and completed early in 2010. Through its Infrastructure Planning and Land Services Division, the PTA worked with other divisions and with external stakeholders - including EPRA, Main Roads WA, the Departments of Planning and Treasury and Finance and the City of Perth - to complete the two Master Plans for this project. The scope, timeframes and cost for the Perth City Link project are detailed in the HUB Master Plans Parts 1 and 2.
Cabinet approved Perth City Link Project’s implementation in March 2010 and financial provision was made in the 2010 Budget. The total capital cost of this project is $609m with $336m funded by the State, $236m from the Commonwealth and $38m from the City of Perth.
Implementation of the railway works is under way. The cost of the railway portion of the Perth City Link Project is $360m. The first works consist of a series of forward works packages that entail railway infrastructure and platform modifications in the central section of Perth Station. These works are on track for completion by early 2011 to enable construction of the major underground railway civil, structures and infrastructure works. The main works will be undertaken through an Alliance form of contract - selected because of the high degree of interaction necessary with the operating railway, high levels of engineering and operations risk, the need to control impacts on infrastructure and ensure there is minimum interference to and impact on rail services. The tendering phase has started and an Alliance agreement between the PTA and a selected construction and design consortium is due in early 2011 with completion due by mid-2014.
The bus station part of the project is $248m. Investigations into the optimum form of contract delivery for the underground bus station continue. During construction of the new bus station, temporary bus facilities will be established on Wellington Street. Completion of the new underground bus station is due by mid-2016.