For a city the size of Sydney, improvements to transport infrastructure are constantly in demand. Whether this is building more roads, establishing more dedicated bus lanes or ferry terminals, Sydney is certainly a city on the go.
The Sydney Metro Northwest is just another example of this. At a price of $8.3 billion, this project is the country's largest public transport network ever developed.
Progress on the project, previously known as the North West Rail Link, is ramping up with a June update highlighting that one of the tunnel-boring machines had reached an important milestone breaking into the Showground Station. This part of the construction of 15km twin tunnels between Bella Vista and Epping.
While this is only the first stage of the Sydney Metro project, set to open in 2019, plans are being finalised for a new underground pedestrian link at the future Norwest Railway station (between Bella Vista and Showground).
Underground pedestrian link
On July 16, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance explained the link would join the station to the Norwest retail and business precinct.
The Norwest underground station is still under construction, but adding a link to allow commuters easy access to and from the train line is a great plan. Additionally, constructing this piece of infrastructure would result in a second entry and exit for the station – something can't be understated, Mr Constance stated.
"Norwest is one of the fastest growing employment centres in Sydney. About 15,000 people travel to Norwest for work every day at major Australian and international companies – and this is expected to increase to 30,000 by 2031," he said.
Member for Baulkham Hills David Elliott also believes the underground link would be a good idea as it will alleviate congestion on the Norwest Boulevard above.
"Better pedestrian access and better public transport options around Norwest Business Park will ensure better traffic movements and will open up more economic opportunities in the Hills."
Bluey – playing a critical role
As with many major transport projects in both Australia and New Zealand, Bluey Technologies is playing an important part in the construction of the Sydney Metro Northwest. Our expertise in waterproofing tunnels and supplying top-quality concrete materials means we are considered one of the leading civil engineering partners in the country.
Our hard working team will continue on this project until its conclusion and we look forward to bringing you more updates moving forward. To learn more about our products and past success, contact our friendly team or visit our website today.