Track laying on the first rail crossing under Sydney Harbour is complete, marking a major milestone on the Metro City & Southwest project.
Premier Dominic Perrottet made the announcement as he inspected the completed tracks and the new Barangaroo Station, which is now ready for platforms, lifts and escalators to be installed.
“This incredible city-shaping project is coming together before our eyes, with services set to start in 2024,” he said.
“Sydney Metro will transform the way we travel around our great city – the trip deep under Sydney Harbour will take just three minutes between the new Barangaroo Station and Victoria Cross Station at North Sydney.”
Transport Minister Rob Stokes praised the construction team for completing the 800 metre section of track in both tunnels under Sydney Harbour.
“Workers have laid 2400 railway sleepers and 4200 tonnes of concrete have been installed to finish this historic railway tunnel under Sydney Harbour,” he said.
“It’s incredible to think of the hard work that is going into this project. Eventually more than 4000 tonnes of Australian steel will be used for the 31 kilometres of tracks from Chatswood to Sydenham, including 200 tonnes under the Harbour.”
The excavation of the Barangaroo caverns, which will house the metro platforms, took almost two years to complete. About 650,000 tonnes of crushed rock – enough to fill 100 Olympic swimming pools – was removed.
Station builder BESIX Watpac will now fit out the station, creating 300 jobs at the peak of construction. Across the Sydney Metro City & Southwest, more than 5000 people are currently working on the project; about 50,000 will have worked on the project by the time it is complete.
Metro trains will start running through the harbour tunnels in 2024, extending the North West Metro into the city and beyond to Bankstown.
New stations are being delivered at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street and Waterloo, along with new underground platforms at Central Station.
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