Metro Tunnel Monthly Update: September

Metro Tunnel Monthly Update: September

CBD North

A major milestone for the Metro Tunnel Project was achieved in August, with all early works service relocations in A’Beckett St completed.

Preparation works for piling at A’Beckett St are progressing. Almost 70 piles are needed at this location to support the walls around the shafts and prevent soil from collapsing during excavation.

The ground at the A’Beckett St has been levelled to prepare for piling rigs to arrive at the site. A “guide wall” is being constructed, made up of concrete that will direct the piling rig and ensure the piles are straight when they are poured.

Piling begins in A’Beckett St at the end of August. Meanwhile, piling at the Franklin St East construction site is about 70 per cent complete and expected to finish in mid-September.

Once piling is completed, access shafts (which are essentially deep basements) will be dug out to transport machinery, equipment and workers underground. The shafts, located at A’Beckett St and Franklin St, will provide access for road header machines to create the cavern beneath Swanston St without disrupting the road surface. The cavern will house the permanent station platforms.

From September onwards, the Metro Tunnel Project will be preparing to demolish buildings near the corner of LaTrobe and Swanston streets to allow the new underground station. These works will continue into 2018.

CBD South

A 55-tonne crane arrived at the City Square construction site and began lifting equipment in and out of the underground car park in August, through openings made in the car park roof. This is the only way that construction equipment can access the basement levels now that the access ramp is starting to be demolished.

Much of the works in August and September are taking place below ground. This includes the demolition of the existing car park access ramps and public lifts. Works are continuing on the dividing wall that will separate the portion of the car park being retained, from the station works side, which will be demolished.

Above ground, the existing hoarding on Swanston St is being replaced with new taller hoarding, which will also return about one metre to the current footpath width.

Similar to CBD North, from September onwards, we will start preparing to demolish a number of buildings on Swanston St and the Port Phillip Arcade. These buildings are situated between Young and Jackson and the Nicholas Building and will form a future station entrance.

Since Labor has been in power …

Since Labor has been in power …

March 20th, 2024 - Evan Mulholland
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