Digging deep ahead of NorthConnex tunnelling

Major tunnelling works on Sydney’s NorthConnex project are due to begin in April, with final preparatory works now well advanced.

Inspecting progress on the site with NSW Premier Mike Baird and NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay, Minister for Major Projects Paul Fletcher said the southern interchange would connect the NorthConnex tunnel with the Hills M2 Motorway and Pennant Hills Road.

“The $3 billion NorthConnex project will better link Western Sydney and the Central Coast, cutting travel times and getting thousands of trucks off Pennant Hills Road every year,” Mr Fletcher said.

“NorthConnex will create around 8,700 jobs during construction and will inject around $4 billion into New South Wales economy.

“NorthConnex will be capable of carrying more than 100,000 vehicles a day and will remove around 5,000 trucks daily from the heavily congested Pennant Hills Road corridor.

“This will not only benefit Sydney’s commuters and motorists, it will help local and interstate freight operators transport their goods to domestic and international markets quickly.

“The project will allow traffic to bypass up to 21 sets of traffic lights and save motorists up to 15 minutes of travel time once it opens in 2019.”

Mr Fletcher said that he was interested this project not only in his Ministerial capacity but as a local MP representing communities which will benefit in his electorate of Bradfield.

“Today heavy congestion along Pennant Hills Road has a very serious impact on communities such as Wahroonga, Normanhurst and Thornleigh. Once NorthConnex is built it will offer significant benefits for community amenity in these areas.”

Member for Berowra Philip Ruddock said it was great to see so much activity at the southern interchange.

“The southern interchange will be used as a temporary construction compound until project completion with almost 615,000 cubic metres of spoil from tunnelling expected to be removed from the two 30 metre deep tunnel shafts,” Mr Ruddock said.

“The completed NorthConnex project will include twin nine-kilometre tunnels under Pennant Hills Road, which is regarded as one of the most congested roads in the country.”

A flyover of the southern compound is available on the NorthConnex website.