Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop Danny Pearson have announced the project’s latest milestone. Photo: Facebook.
The first stage of the Victorian Government’s Suburban Rail Loop project is powering ahead with the appointment of the preferred bidder for the second tunnelling contract for SRL East.
Made up of a global consortium of leaders in tunnelling – including WeBuild S.p.A, GS Engineering and Construction Australia, and Bouygues Construction Australia – Terra Verde will be responsible for constructing the 10-kilometre northern twin tunnels between Glen Waverley and Box Hill following contract negotiations.
In Box Hill, major piling works are already underway on Whitehorse Road as crews build a temporary bridge to keep traffic flowing during construction.
Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop Danny Pearson said it was an exciting milestone.
“We’re making huge progress and creating thousands of jobs to deliver this city-shaping project,” he said.
Suburban Connect was awarded the $3.6 billion contract in late 2023 to complete the 16 km southern twin tunnel between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley. Site investigations and preparatory work are currently making way for tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) to begin work in 2026.
The package to build the high-tech fleet of SRL trains, fit out the tunnels, install signalling and operate and maintain the network will be awarded next year – with the two contracts to build the six new underground stations to follow.
By 2026, TBMs are expected to be in the ground and more than 4000 people should be directly working on the project.
SRL East will deliver train stations at Deakin and Monash universities, the connection of four major rail corridors – including a hub for Gippsland passengers at Clayton, 70,000 new homes and 230,000 new jobs throughout the surrounding precincts – with trains expected to be running by 2035.
SRL will be key to providing the housing and transport connections Victoria needs – cutting congestion and creating up to 8000 construction jobs during its first stage.
The project is currently supporting more than 1200 workers across all six station sites, including a workforce of more than 41 per cent women across the Suburban Rail Loop Authority.
SRL is helping women take up careers in major projects through its graduate program and 2024 marks the strongest representation so far, with women making up 44 per cent of the intake.
The project is backed by an $11.8 billion investment by the Victorian Government and a $2.2 billion contribution from the Federal Government.
