Three tunnel boring machines are already at full steam delivering Australia’s longest railway tunnels – 15 kilometre twin tunnels between Bella vista and Epping — and the skytrain is starting to take shape. ISABELL PETRINIC takes a site-by-site look ahead at the North West Rail Link.
The North West Rail Link will deliver eight new stations at: Cudgegong Road, Rouse Hill, Kellyville, Bella Vista, Norwest, Showground, Castle Hill and Cherrybrook.
Existing stations on the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link will remain at Epping, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park and North Ryde – and are being upgraded to rapid transit standard.
‘‘There will be many milestones as we continue major construction on the $8.3 billion North West Rail Link in 2015,’’ Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian said.
‘‘The project, including eight new railway stations and 4000 commuter car parking spaces, is on track to open to customers in the first half of 2019 with a train every four minutes in the peak.”
Project director Rodd Staples said over coming months, two massive white steel gantry cranes would start building the 4-km skytrain between Bella Vista and Rouse Hill.
‘‘These horizontal cranes will stand about 30 metres, or 10 storeys, in the air and crawl their way along Old Windsor Road, assembling the skytrain as they go,’’ he said.
‘‘You can see the first one right now, being assembled beside Old Windsor Road near the intersection of Samantha Riley Drive.
‘‘The gantries will build about 70 metres of skytrain a week but, importantly, will allow seven local roads and the T-way to remain open as work continues underneath.
‘‘Early site preparation work will also start at the site of the Rapid Transit Rail Facility at Cudgegong Road.’’
Traffic changes to Tempus Street at the Rouse Hill Town Centre start in January, to enable construction of the skytrain through this area. Kellyville and Rouse Hill stations will be on the skytrain route.
Station features:
■ reconfiguration of bus interchange, T-way and road layout;
■ pedestrian crossings on Tempus Street, Main Street and on the T-way.
Construction of the massive gantry crane will continue over coming months. Construction of the skytrain piers to start first, followed by construction of skytrain. Kellyville and Rouse Hill stations to be on the skytrain route.
Station features:
■ 1200 commuter car parking spaces;
■ 160 T-way spots; widen, and remove roundabout on, Samantha Riley Drive;
■ new traffic lights at Samantha Riley Drive;
■ new pedestrian bridge across Old Windsor Road and the T-way (at Samantha Riley Drive/Newbury Avenue).
Station features:
■ 800 car spaces;
■ new traffic lights at Lexington Drive and Celebration Drive;
■ pedestrian bridge across Old Windsor Road; widening of Celebration Drive to four lanes;
■ extension of Celebration Drive north to link with proposed northern link road and west to Old Windsor Road.
Works continuing for the arrival of the two tunnel boring machines from Bella Vista.
Station features:
■ retail space;
■ pedestrian and bicycle upgrades along Norwest Boulevard and Brookhollow Avenue; and
■ provision for an underground connection to the north-eastern side of Norwest Boulevard.
Excavation of the new station box underway. Acoustic sheds for spoil and segment storage to be built. Showground to support Elizabeth and Florence as they dig to Cherrybrook via Castle Hill.
Station features:
■ public plaza and retail space;
■ 600 car spaces;
■ new traffic lights at Carrington Road/Doran Drive;
■ new access road between Carrington Road and Showground Road, with traffic signals at Showground Road and Doran Drive and Middleton Avenue;
■ upgrade/widen Doran Drive, to allow for two lanes of traffic; and
■ extension of Middleton Avenue and reconfiguration of roundabout at Carrington Road.
Work will continue to finish excavation of the station and a rail crossover cavern and to prepare for tunnel boring machine arrivals. Castle Hill Station will be located underground, beneath Arthur Whitling Park and outside Castle Towers.
Station features:
■ retail space;
■ new traffic lights at Old Northern Road and Terminus Street; and
■ modification to the intersection at Crane Road, Old Northern Road, Castle Hill Road and Castle Street.
Tunnel boring machine Isabelle has set off. She’s named after four-year-old Isabelle Andersen (pictured with Minister Berejiklian) who goes to Norwest Childcare Centre and is the daughter of the construction director, representing the families of the 900 workers who will deliver the twin 15-km tunnels between Bella Vista and Epping. TBM4 to start tunnelling this year.
Station features:
■ 400 car spaces;
■ new traffic lights at Glenhope Road and Castle Hill Road, and current Castle Hill/Robert Road intersection;
■ intersection upgrade of Franklin and Castle Hill roads to allow left in/ left out movements;
■ widening of Castle Hill Road (northern side including right turn bay at Robert Road), Franklin Road (Castle Hill Road to Kayla Way) and Robert Road (between Castle Hill Road and new access road).
