Tunnelling for the Western Harbour Tunnel is more than 60 per cent complete, with the project on schedule to provide the first new road crossing of Sydney Harbour in more than 30 years.
The second stage of work on the Western Harbour Tunnel has passed above the Sydney Metro tunnel at North Sydney on its way towards Waverton.
Works on Stage 2 from the Warringah Freeway at Cammeray began 12 months ago, with 2.9km of twin three-lane road tunnels excavated by six roadheaders working around the clock.
So far, 5,800 people have worked on Stage 2, further enhancing the combined skills of the underground construction workforce in New South Wales.
Work on Stage 2 has recently passed underneath North Sydney and is progressing about 25m a week towards the harbour.
The 6.5km Western Harbour Tunnel is due to open to traffic in 2028 and will remain in public ownership.
As the first new road crossing of the harbour in over 30 years, the Western Harbour Tunnel will deliver time-saving benefits to motorists, with 20 minutes shaved off a journey between North Sydney and Sydney Olympic Park or Leichhardt.
The first stage of tunnelling work – twin 1.7km road tunnels to Birchgrove that connect into the Rozelle Interchange – is all but complete.
In late 2025, the largest tunnel boring machines ever to be put to work in the southern hemisphere will be assembled underground at Birchgrove and tunnel under the harbour floor to connect at Waverton.
New South Wales Minister for Roads, John Graham, said, “From WestConnex to Sydney Metro to the Western Harbour Tunnel, NSW has the premier underground construction workforce anywhere in the world and we want to thank the 5,800 workers for what they have achieved so far.
“At the 12-month mark of Stage 2, we are seeing great progress, with more than 60 per cent of the entire tunnelling task now complete and the project on schedule to provide the first new road crossing of Sydney Harbour in more than 30 years.
“Anyone who has crossed the harbour by road knows the system is constrained and the Western Harbour Tunnel will provide much-needed relief, slashing travel times by 20 minutes on a journey from North Sydney to Leichardt or Sydney Olympic Park.”
