$4.24bn contract awarded for NSW Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2

Sydney will soon see more works get underway to deliver its third harbour crossing following the award of a major contract to ACCIONA. 

The $4.24 billion contract will deliver Stage 2 of the Western Harbour Tunnel that will ultimately provide a western bypass of the Sydney CBD, relieving congestion on major roads across the city as well as allowing commuters to move around more easily. 

“We are transforming the way Sydneysiders move around our great city, delivering on our vision for a better connected road network that reduces congestion and helps people get to where they need to be quickly and safely. 

“The historic Western Harbour Tunnel will cut travel times from Sydney Olympic Park to North Sydney by 20 minutes and significantly reduce traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour Tunnel and Anzac Bridge,” Premier Dominic Perrottet said. 

The Western Harbour Tunnel is being built in two stages. The second stage will deliver the northern section of the tunnel that will include connections from Stage 1 at Cove Street in Birchgrove to the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney. 

Stage 2 will also include marine work through Sydney Harbour as well as complete tunnel fit-out. 

The new tunnel is going to be constructed underground utilising a Tunnel Boring Machine instead of an Immersed Tube Tunnel. 

“We’ve collaborated with industry to come up with the best outcome for the local community and the environment, which involves tunnelling underneath the harbour seabed rather than building a tunnel on top of the seabed. 

“We know our population is growing and this is how we make sure our infrastructure keeps pace, supporting a strong economy and a brighter future for everyone in NSW, not just those who use this tunnel,” Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said. 

According to Member for North Shore Felicity Wilson, the local community will enjoy the significant benefits brought in by the project including traffic being redirected off local streets and the creation of more green open space. 

“Tunnelling means we no longer need construction sites at Balls Head and Berrys Bay in Waverton. 

“I’m enormously excited to be able to return Berrys Bay to the local community and deliver them 1.9 hectares of beautiful foreshore parkland and public space, even earlier than planned,” Ms Wilson said. 

The Western Harbour Tunnel will connect to WestConnex at the Rozelle Interchange, cross underneath Sydney Harbour between Birchgrove and Waverton then connect with the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney via a 6.5-kilometre tunnel with three lanes in each direction. 

Once completed, the new tunnel will cut traffic by about 35 per cent in the Western Distributor, 20 per cent in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and 17 per cent on the Harbour Bridge. 

Construction on Stage 1 is already underway and works are being carried out by the joint venture between John Holland and CPB Contractors. The first stage will deliver a 1.7-kilometre tunnel that links Emily Street in Rozelle to Cove Street in Birchgrove. 

On the other hand, further community consultation for Stage 2 will get underway next year ahead of the beginning of major works in late 2023. 

Stage 2 of the Western Harbour Tunnel is anticipated to create up to 6,900 full-time jobs during its delivery phase. 

Key features of the Western Harbour Tunnel include: 

• 6.5-kilometre-long twin tunnels with three lanes in each direction 
• Tunnel-to-tunnel connection to the M4-M5 Link near Rozelle Interchange 
• Future connection options for Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway 
• Surface connections to the City West Link at Rozelle and to Warringah Freeway, Falcon Street and Berry Street in North Sydney 
• Ancillary infrastructure to enable ongoing operation of the tunnel 

Source: NSW Government – Media Releases; NSW Government – Western Harbour Tunnel (1, 2, 3); Australia New Zealand Infrastructure Pipeline