The New South Wales Government has begun its search for suppliers capable of building more than 50km of new Metro railway tunnels that will connect Parramatta and the Sydney CBD by way of the Western Sydney Metro. These will be the longest railway tunnels ever built in Australia, in what is expected to be the biggest tunnelling contract awarded in Australian history.
Suppliers wishing to express their interest in the procurement of the tunnelling contract for Western Sydney Metro will be able to register their interest on the eTendering website.
Early works will soon begin on Metro West, with seven station locations confirmed at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock and the Bays Precinct.
Construction work will begin next year, commencing at the Bays Precinct, to prepare the site for major tunnelling works.
The first works in the Bays Precinct will include site surveys, investigations and early works such as road relocation.
The feasibility of building a Metro station in Pyrmont is being investigated, while also assessing a potential station at Rydalmere. Further work is also underway to determine the location of the new Metro station in the Sydney CBD.
Affected property owners and tenants are being informed. The preference is always to reach a commercial agreement, with compulsory acquisition a last resort.
At Parramatta, the new Metro station will serve the commercial core of the Parramatta CBD to the north of the existing train station.
Sydney Olympic Park, which is visited by more than 10 million people each year, will also get a second railway station within walking distance of ANZ Stadium in the heart of the growing town centre, reinforcing its status as Australia’s premier events, sporting and entertainment precinct.
The community will have the opportunity to provide further feedback as part of the statutory planning assessment process, which will be administered by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
It is envisaged that TBMs could be in the ground by 2022, with the line operational in 2030.
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