Arrival of TBMs for North East Link Tunnels keeps major works on track

The North East Link Program – the largest investment in Melbourne’s north-east – is progressing well with the first of two massive tunnel boring machines (TBMs) set to arrive in Melbourne soon. 

Parts of the 4,000-tonne, 15.6-metre diameter TBM will be transported from the Port of Melbourne with rolling night-time closures on the M80 Ring Road as well as major disruptions on Greensborough Road from September of this year. 

“We’re getting on with a massive amount of work to prepare for the arrival of the TBMs, getting us another step closer to moving traffic and trucks below ground – giving local roads back to local people and slashing travel times across the north east,” Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Jacinta Allan said. 

Assembly of the TBMs is expected to take up to six months. Once Assembled, the TBMs will be lowered into the ground by a massive 550-tonne gantry crane and will commence tunnelling works round the clock from mid-next year. The TBMs will dig the 6.5-kilometre twin tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen, which will take trucks and traffic underground instead of through suburbs once operational. 

Major work sites are also being established across the north-east in preparation for the arrival of the TBMs, including a 200-metre-long tunnel launch area on the eastern side of Greensborough Road along with a 13-metre-high shed being built to store the concrete segments that will line the tunnel walls. 

In late September, full overnight closures will be observed on Greensborough Road to enable the installation of an enclosed conveyor across the road to transport dirt and rock from tunnelling works. 

Further south, works are being carried out to move Bulleen Road further west to make space for the construction of the new Yarra Link green bridge over Bulleen Road. The new bridge will connect Koonung Creek Trail to Bulleen Park for the first time. Meanwhile, the existing Bulleen Road will remain open until the realigned section is completed in late 2023. 

Manningham Road, Bulleen Road, Templestowe Road and Bridge Street will continue to experience intermittent lane closures and buses will replace trains on sections of the Hurstbridge Line for about three weeks in December. Intermittent weekend closures on some weekends will also be observed while crews upgrade tracks, signalling and equipment. 

“We’re working hard to minimise impacts to the local community as we build North East Link. The shed at Winsor reserve will mean less noise and dust during construction for local residents as we deliver Victoria’s biggest road project,” Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines said. 

The North East Link Tunnels will include: 

• Longer 6.5-kilometre tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen 
• Simpler interchanges at Lower Plenty Road, Manningham Road and Eastern Freeway 
• 5 MCGs of parklands along Banyule Creek at Borlase Reserve 
• A new 2-kilometre tree-lined boulevard for Greensborough Road 
• A 2-hectare Yarra Link green bridge over Bulleen Road 
• 3 new wetlands along the Yarra River and Koonung Creek in Bulleen and Balwyn North 

Aerial view looking north of the tunnel portal and Bulleen Road (source: Victoria's Big Build)

The North East Link Program has seen over 10 million work hours carried out and the overall development is expected to create more than 10,000 jobs during its construction. The tunnels alone will generate 900 jobs opportunities for people experiencing barriers to employment. 

North East Link is anticipated to be completed in 2028. Once open to traffic, it will help slash travel times by about 35 minutes and remove 15,000 trucks from local roads. The Program also includes the Hurstbridge Line Duplication, Fitzsimons Lane Upgrade and the removal of 21 level crossings. 

The North East Link Program is jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Government. 

Spark consortium will be undertaking the delivery of the North East Link Tunnels. The consortium is comprised of WeBuild, CPB Contractors, GS Engineering and Construction, China Construction Oceania, Ventia, Capella Capital, John Laing, DIF and Pacific Partnerships. 

Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Victoria’s Big Build – North East Link Program (1, 2); The National Tribune