By Jacob Saulwick
The state's transport authority is overhauling the structure charged with delivering a light rail line through the middle of the city to the eastern suburbs.
Major construction is due to start on the project in September or October, though early works along the route are already taking place.
An artist's impression of the new light rail service down George Street at Martin Place.
The acting secretary of Transport for NSW, Tim Reardon, told staff last week a new stand-alone delivery office would be set up to run the light rail project, along the same lines as the office set up to build the North West Rail Link.
The restructure means the sudden departure from the department of Chris Lock, formerly the deputy director general of the Transport Projects division of Transport for NSW, who had been working full-time on the light rail project.
Preliminary construction on George Street has already forced temporary closures in the city.Credit: James Alcock
Construction of the light rail line is expected to be highly disruptive, and the cost of the project has already blown out by at least $500 million, from $1.6 billion to $2.1 billion.
One of the major difficulties will be reorganising the city's bus network to accommodate the construction of the project.
Asked about the internal transport for NSW reorganisation, a spokesman said the fact that the project director of the light rail scheme would report directly to the secretary of the department indicated the project's importance to the government.
Possible routes for buses during the light rail construction period.
"The creation of a CBD & South East Light Rail Project Delivery Office and the evolution of Transport Projects from a broader division to a delivery office follows the agile and focused North West Rail Link model, which has proven extremely successful," the spokesman said.
Mr Lock's departure comes after a 10-year career in the department. His division had recently been in charge of delivering the light rail extension from Lilyfield to Dulwich Hill and the South West Rail Link to Leppington.
CBD light rail project director Jeff Goodling will act as the head of the new delivery office. The light rail line is scheduled to be opened to the public in late 2018 or early 2019.