Works are progressing well on $400m Botany Rail Duplication project

The delivery of the $400 million Botany Rail Duplication project in New South Wales is progressing as the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) installs the first of two temporary steel girders for the Southern Cross Drive Bridge. 

The temporary girders will enable new concrete girders to be poured without closing the road below. These temporary girders are 33 metres long and weigh 115 tonnes each. The second temporary girder is set to be lifted in place later this month. 

The new Southern Cross Drive Bridge is expected to be completed in late 2023. 

“The Southern Cross Drive Bridge is one of the five bridges we are constructing or modifying on the Botany Rail Duplication project, with major construction works for the project on track to be completed in 2024. 

“I’d like to thank the ARTC and contractor teams for their efforts, and for getting the work done as efficiently as possible, minimising disruptions to motorists,” ARTC General Manager NSW Project, Major Construction Projects, Julian Richards said. 

Other works to prepare for major construction in August will also be carried out. A five-day rail shutdown will allow for the demolition of the existing O’Riordan Street Bridge and construction of a new double-track concrete bridge. 

Project alignment (source: Australian Rail Track Corporation)

The Botany Rail Duplication project will duplicate the remaining 2.9-kilometre section of single line track to Port Botany. It will include the construction of a passing loop on the Southern Sydney Freight Line at Cabramatta to allow freight trains up to 1,300 metres in length to run on the rail line. 

Key features of the project include: 

• Track duplication – constructing a new track within the rail corridor for a distance of about three kilometres 
• Track realignment and upgrading – moving some of the track sideways to make room for the new track 
• New crossovers – constructing new crossovers to allow trains options to move between tracks 
• Bridge works – constructing new rail bridges at Mill Stream, Southern Cross Drive, O’Riordan Street and Robey Street 
• Embankment/retaining structures – constructing new embankment and retaining structures 

The Australian Government is fully funding the $400 million Botany Rail Duplication project, which is set to deliver better access to global export markets through Port Botany as well as improve freight supply chains across the State and help in the reduction of trucks on local roads. 

“Not only will this project increase freight capacity, it will also encourage more freight movements to be made by rail – helping to shift freight away from road transport and reduce truck movements and associated traffic congestion. 

“Each extra freight train travelling on the Port Botany Rail Line will take up to 54 trucks off Sydney’s roads and that will be well received by local road users. 

“We thank motorists for their patience while bridge construction works take place,” Mr Richards said. 

Source: Australian Rail Track Corporation (1, 2); Infrastructure Magazine; Inside Construction; Daily Cargo News