Sydney Metro West Tunnelling Halted Over Concerns That Tunnel Poses Structural Risk To Building
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Tunnelling in Parramatta for Sydney Metro West has been on pause for six weeks, due to fears that one of the tunnels could pose a structural risk to a telephone exchange building.
Boring machines in Sydney’s second centre have been collecting dust since mid May, with internal documents revealing concerns for 213 Church Street’s integrity, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
As of last year, officials were apparently unaware of the depth of the building’s foundations and how close they were to the path of the tunnel. Some individuals close to the project reportedly questioned the seemingly insufficient geotechnical investigation conducted prior to the route’s selection.
Shadow state transport minister Natalie Ward echoed that sentiment, remarking that “taxpayers rightly deserve to know which expert signed off on the advice that has led to this issue” whilst emphasising that Sydney cannot afford another delay to the project. Transport minister John Graham expects the tunnel boring machines “to be back in action very soon.”
Sydney Metro said it “has been working with Telstra to co-ordinate geotechnical investigations at this site to verify ground conditions, foundations and pile depth of the building.”
“Due to the complex function of the 213 Church Street building, Sydney Metro has also completed investigations from an adjoining site to further verify foundation depths,” the agency commented.
Financial problems dog Sydney Metro West megaproject
With construction not having progressed as planned, Sydney Metro West is facing mounting financial headwinds. Malaysian engineering firm Gamuda, which leads the consortium awarded the contract to tunnel between Westmead and Sydney Olympic Park, is seeking to bill the government to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars for delays.
Tender documents indicate that the cost of tunnelling for the section has reached $2.7 billion, having climbed $353 million above the previously forecast figure.
Corporate plan jubilant nonetheless
In Sydney Metro’s draft corporate plan for 2025 to 2028, released in late May, chair Gail Pemberton and chief executive Peter Regan write that the agency is “progressing the remaining procurement for the Sydney Metro West project.”
“This involves multiple contracts, to deliver stations, rail infrastructure, operations and maintenance in collaboration with industry partners.”
Sydney Metro West, as the document points out, is expected to double rail capacity between Parramatta and the city centre.
The plan reports that the agency has implemented “a delivery, resource and contract model that effectively manages the interface risk between multiple construction and operational packages for the delivery of the Metro West project. “
It also emphasises Sydney Metro’s “pivotal role” in addressing the city’s housing needs. In late may, members of the Australian Turf Club rejected a proposal to sell the Rosehill Gardens racecourse to the New South Wales Government for the construction of housing and a metro station on the Metro West line.
