The TBM drive for Sydney’s Western Harbour Tunnel project will commence once the drilling machines have been made ready in the recently completed, twin launch caverns. The two TBMs are the largest such machines in the Southern Hemisphere and have been named Barangaroo and Patyegarang.
The two TBMs will drive dual bores a distance of 1.5km and at a depth of 50m below sea level. The 1.5km tunnel section will be a key stretch of the 6.5km link that connects the Warringah Freeway and the Rozelle Interchange.
Once the Western Harbour Tunnel is complete in 2028, the link will provide three lanes in either direction and will help to lower traffic levels on other major routes in Sydney. Traffic is expected to drop by 35% for the Western Distributor, 20% for the Harbour Tunnel and 17% for the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge.
