Last week NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian and Treasurer Mike Baird inspected drilling work at Old Northern Rd in Castle Hill, above what will be the new Castle Hill station.
Ms Berejiklian said the start of geotechnical drilling along the 23-kilometre route was a significant milestone.
"This is an important part of the design work currently underway for the project and will help produce a very detailed picture of what the tunnelling contractors will encounter as they build our nation's longest rail tunnels," Ms Berejiklian said.
At least 150 boreholes with a diameter of up to 15cm will be drilled at various locations along the proposed alignment between Rouse Hill and Epping. The boreholes will be drilled to depths of up to 75 metres below ground and will be used to confirm underground geological profiles, rock types and other underground characteristics. This will be important in helping finalise the civil design for the stations including the 15.5km of tunnel between Epping and Kellyville.
“The geotechnical work will assess all underground conditions to confirm rock and other subsurface conditions deep beneath the region’s streets and its suitability for tunnelling,” she added.
Last month, Coffey Geotechnics was appointed as the geotechnical consultant for the Concept Design Stage of the North West Rail Link by the NSW Government. Coffey Geotechnics, with sub-consultant AECOM, will undertake extensive geotechnical investigations, laboratory testing and analysis, and complete a geotechnical and contamination interpretative report including design advice for the Department of Transport.
Coffey Geotechnics NSW Manager Brett Hawkins said they were proud to be involved in such a high-profile project and the results would assist in design optimisation and managing risks.
“Coffey Geotechnics is very pleased to be awarded this project; it demonstrates our strength in large-scale tunnel, infrastructure and rail projects having worked on the Airport Rail Link, Northside Storage Tunnel, North West Metro, CBD Metro, Kempsey Bypass and the Ballina Bypass.
“Quality geotechnical work will provide detailed knowledge to the project team about the ground conditions including the composition and location of soils, rock and water. It will provide more detailed recommendations for design optimisation to minimise risks.”
The 23-kilometre North West Rail Link project is a priority railway transport infrastructure project for the NSW Government. It will deliver six new stations and regular rail services to the CityRail network from Epping to Rouse Hill in North West Sydney – linking the region with over 300 other CityRail stations. The 15-kilometre tunnels between Epping and Kellyville will be the longest rail tunnels ever constructed in Sydney.
The geotechnical work for the Concept Design Phase is expected to be completed in early 2012 to enable the tender process to begin for the construction and development phase of the project.
Facts about the North West Rail Link
The 23km-long North West Rail Link will feature at least six new stations, at Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Hills Centre, Norwest, Kellyville and Rouse Hill.
The link will include the longest rail tunnels in Australia, at 15.5km.
The link will give more than 300,000 residents in Sydney's North West access to Epping, Macquarie Park, Chatswood, St Leonards, North Sydney and the CBD.
It will improve travel time reliability and reduce bus congestion in the CBD in the longer term.
The NSW Government has set up a specialised project team, supported by professional and technical service providers, within the Department of Transport to fast-track work on the North West Rail Link.
Bus, pedestrian and cycling access facilities will be provided at all stations and about 3,000 park-and-ride spaces are proposed for Cherrybrook, Hills Centre and Kellyville stations.
A community information centre has been opened at Castle Hill (299 Old Northern Rd), with more than 2,300 people so far getting more information about the project.
The 2011-12 NSW Government Budget, announced earlier this week, allocated A$314 million to the North West Rail Link project this year, with a provisional allocation of A$2.5 billion over four years.
For further details on the project please visit: northwestrail.com.au.
