WestConnex’s most important stage - the M4-M5 Link - is one step closer to beginning construction with two tenderers shortlisted to build the Rozelle Interchange and Iron Cove Link in New South Wales.
After a rigorous evaluation process, the two consortia that were shortlisted are JCL Joint Venture - comprised of John Holland, CPB Contractors and Lendlease - and SCS Joint Venture - comprised of Salini Impregilo, Clough Projects and Samsung C&T.
“The M4-M5 Link is the most critical section of WestConnex and will for the first time link the new M4 and new M5 motorways, providing seamless underground travel for tens of thousands of vehicles every day.
“The Stage 3A mainline tunnels will run for 7.5 kilometres between Haberfield and the new M5 in St Peters with four lanes of traffic in each direction, connecting to the Rozelle Interchange and Iron Cove Link (Stage 3B),” Minister for WestConnex Stuart Ayres said.
The Rozelle Interchange is going to be mostly underground and it will be located at the old Rozelle Rail Yards site. With the interchange built mostly underground, the project will have more new active transport options as well as approximately 10 hectares of new green space.
In addition to the Rozelle Interchange, the M4-M5 Link will also include an underground tunnel from the Rozelle Interchange to Victoria Road near Iron Cove Bridge, also known as the Iron Cove Link.
Once completed, the Rozelle Interchange and Iron Cove Link will provide a new underground motorway interchange to City West Link as well as an underground bypass of Victoria Road - between Iron Cove Bridge and Anzac Bridge - with provisions for future connections to the Western Harbour Tunnel. This project will also include an additional 2.5 hectares of green space in St Peters.
The two shortlisted joint ventures will be developing, refining and optimising solutions for the project design and construction, with the use of a Collaborative Contractor Client (CCC) model led by Roads and Maritime Services. The CCC model is going to allow the State Government and the industry to work collaboratively to share knowledge and leverage opportunities for the project.
Works on the M4-M5 Link tunnels are expected to commence later in 2018 and is projected to open to traffic by late-2022. The Rozelle Interchange and the Iron Cove Link are set to be operational 12 months later.
The new M4 twin tunnels - between Homebush and Haberfield - are expected to open in the first half of 2019 and the new M5 tunnels will open in 2020.
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Source: WestConnex (1, 2); Roads and Infrastructure Australia
