Sydney Metro tunnels ‘70 per cent finished’ after Martin Place breakthrough
The machine boring away beneath Sydneysiders’ feet has made a new breakthrough, reaching the cavernous underground site that will house Martin Place Metro station.
Central Sydney
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Sydney’s new twin metro tunnels are almost complete after the tunnel boring machine named ‘Nancy’ broke through deep under Martin Place today.
The milestone means Nancy has now bored through 6.8km under the city’s inner west and CBD since launching in October 2018, carving out paths to the new metro stations at Waterloo, Central and Pitt St.
The tunnels are now 70 per cent complete, with the next 1.3km leg from Martin Place to Barangaroo set to begin in a few weeks.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian joined workers and Transport Minister Andrew Constance at Martin Place on Friday to welcome the machine’s arrival.
“This historic milestone means 22m of the Sydney Metro tunnels are now finished in just 11 months — that’s 70 per cent of the new tunnels on Australia’s biggest public transport project,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“While people are getting on with life in the city above, deep underneath the CBD giant machines like TBM Nancy are getting on with the job, building tunnels for our future metro rail.”
Workers spent about 21 months to building the enormous caverns that make up the new Martin Place station.
In the process they have removed about 198,000 tonnes of rock — enough to fill 30 Olympic swimming pools.
Mr Constance said $11.5 billion metro tunnels would be “pivotal” to creating a better connected Sydney.
“Deep under city streets and buildings, this historic new metro line will not only increase the capacity of our rail network but make it easier to get around.”
Above the Martin Place station will be two new towers and an “integrated” development, set to cost $376.6 million
Sydney Metro is set to open in 2024.
