The West Harbour Tunnel will be the third harbour crossing project, alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the original harbour tunnel.
The new tunnel will join the WestConnex at Rozelle with the Warringah Freeway at North Sydney. The project will include 6.5 km tunnels beneath Sydney harbour.
This first step in construction begins with excavation to pave the way for 1.7 kms of mainline tunnels connecting Rozelle and Birchgrove.
The project is aimed at easing pressure of existing arterial roads and corridors, including the Harbour Bridge and the Anzac Bridge. The tunnels will include three lanes of traffic each way, and has the potential to shave 15 minutes off commuter times between North Sydney and the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.
The second stage of the project involves the boring of a northern tunnel from Birchgrove to North Sydney through Sydney Harbour. The contract for the second stage has not yet been set. It is expected to be awarded later this year.
The West Harbour Tunnel Project is a major part of Sydney’s $110 billion infrastructure works, and takes place alongside the Rozelle Interchange works.
This first stage of the project, as well as construction on the interchange, is being undertaken by the John Holland CPB Joint Venture, allowing a streamline process using existing skills, equipment and resources to minimise disruption to the community.
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