Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) constructing the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport southern tunnels are close to their final destinations.
TBMs Eileen and Peggy have built 4.7 and 4.6km of tunnel so far with 852,288 tonnes of spoil excavated collectively.
The TBMs started their journeys at Airport Business Park, broke through at the Airport Terminal station and temporary shaft before continuing to tunnel under the future Western Sydney International Airport.
The most recent breakthrough was at the Bringelly services facility shaft, which is being used as a tunnelling and construction support site during the delivery of the 5.5km southern metro tunnels.
Both TBMs spent nine days traversing the 10m diameter shaft and undergoing maintenance before being relaunched.
Elsewhere, TBMs Catherine and Marlene are about 89 and 80 per cent through building the 4.3km tunnels between Orchard Hills and St Marys.
Once open, Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport will become the transport spine for Greater Western Sydney and will drive major development and economic growth in the region.
In other Sydney Metro projects, Sydney Metro West has already hit multiple breakthroughs in 2024, with five stations fully tunnelled so far.
Six TBMs will carve out the Sydney Metro West line between the Sydney CBD and Westmead, New South Wales.
So far, four TBMs have begun their journeys commencing major tunnelling for the project.
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