Tunnelling works contract awarded for Sydney's Western Harbour Tunnel

Tunnelling works contract awarded for Sydney’s Western Harbour Tunnel

Travelling under Sydney’s famous harbour is a step closer to being faster and more reliable with the award of a contract to deliver the first stage of tunnelling for Western Harbour Tunnel.

The New South Wales Government has selected a joint venture between CPB Contractors and John Holland to deliver the Western Harbour Tunnel – Southern Tunnelling Works.

The $722 million contract will see the joint venture build about 1.7 kilometres of tunnels from Rozelle to Birchgrove.

“This is a critical milestone which will support hundreds of jobs and ensure significant benefits for drivers, including improved travel times and reduced congestion,” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said.

“The tunnel will not only revolutionise how we get around Sydney but also take the pressure off other major roads including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Anzac Bridge and Western Distributor.”

The Western Harbour Tunnel will be a second road tunnel under Sydney Harbour. The tunnel will connect the WestConnex Rozelle Interchange with the Warringah Freeway in North Sydney. Once complete and via the Beaches Link, there will be a continuous connection from WestConnex at Rozelle to Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The mega-project includes a 6.5 kilometre tunnel, with three lanes in each direction and tunnel-to-tunnel connection to the M4-M5 Link near Rozelle Interchange.

The NSW 2021-22 Budget allocated $6.3 billion over the next four years for the Western Harbour Tunnel, Beaches Link and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, including $454 million in FY2021-22.

The new design and construction contract, which will generate approximately $350 million for CPB Contractors, involves the excavation and lining of the Western Harbour Tunnel driven tunnels, including ventilation tunnels, between the stubs provided by the Rozelle Interchange and Birchgrove Oval.

The enabling works will facilitate the efficient construction of the Western Harbour Tunnel and its seamless integration into the Sydney motorway network.

John Holland and CPB are currently delivering the Rozelle interchange as part of WestConnex, with the new Western Harbour Tunnel contract ensuring a seamless continuation of tunnelling work already underway.

Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade were deemed a national priority by Infrastructure Australia in May 2021.

The excavation work on the southern tunnel section of Western Harbour Tunnel will begin in mid-2022 and is planned for completion by mid-2025.

Construction for Western Harbour Tunnel is expected to be completed in 2027.