The tunnel boring machine, Sandy, has spent the past year creating a 1.5 km underground drainage pipeline from Monash University to Kananook Creek.
Victorian Water Minister Tim Holding, who recently inspected the works, said “The tunnelling part of the project has now been completed and further work will now take place including tunnel connections to existing drainage lines.”
Mr Holding said the $A41 million drainage project had been designed to significantly reduce the incidence of flooding in Frankston’s central activity district.
As a low lying area of Melbourne, Frankston is subject to serious flooding during severe wet weather and will soon be protected by Melbourne’s longest stormwater tunnel.
Melbourne Water’s Project Director Phil Corluka said future works as part of the project would involve the laying of drainage pipes under roads including Beach Street, Young Street and Fletcher Road in Frankston.
The project is expected to be finished by the end of 2011.
The Frankston Drainage Improvement Project is being constructed by the Pipelines Alliance, a partnership between Melbourne Water, Fulton Hogan, Jaydo, and GHD.
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