Digging deep – $11 billion Metro Tunnel breakthrough

Builders on the Metro Tunnel rail project in Melbourne have had a breakthrough with excavation works now complete on the new State Library Station.

Construction works are underway now that the main station cavern has been fully excavated after three road headers each extracted around 500 tonnes of rock every day.

“The road headers have finished more than a years work under the city, digging 36 metres under Swanston Street, while also excavating the station length of 240 metres between Franklin and La Trobe Streets,” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.

“Later this year, they will go back underground to dig out the rail tunnels on each side of the central station cavern.”

When complete the State Library Station will be 240 metres long and 30 metres wide, and its 19-metre platforms will be some of the widest underground metro platforms in the world.

The station will allow travellers underground access to Melbourne Central Station for quick train changes between Metro Tunnel and City Loop train services.

The government expects the Metro Tunnel will cater for more than half a million extra passengers per week across Melbourne’s train network slashing travel times and making the commute more enjoyable.

The project is expected to cost $11 billion to complete and is on track to be completed by 2025.