GALLERY: Mini TBM arrives for West Gate Tunnel’s Winter works blitz

A new “mini” Tunnel Boring Machine has arrived on site at the West Gate Tunnel project ahead of a major construction blitz.

Acting Premier James Merlino and Minister for Roads, Luke Donnellan visited the West Gate Tunnel’s tunnelling hub site in Yarraville last week to inspect the new ‘mini’ tunnel boring machine (TBM).

The mini TBM will dig a new section of the North Yarra Main Sewer with 600 metres of the 100-year-old sewer being diverted to make way for the new road tunnels that will connect the West Gate Freeway to the port, CityLink and city.

VIDEO: Diverting Melbourne’s sewer to make room for the West Gate Tunnel

Once it’s launched, the mini TBM is expected to move 12 metres a day and excavate approximately 9000 cubic metres of dirt over the next year to build the new section of sewer.

At three metres in diameter, the mini TBM is one fifth the size of the massive TBMs that will dig the West Gate Tunnel Project’s twin road tunnels.

“It may be small, but this mini TBM will excavate 9000 cubic metres of soil and rock over the next 12 months to ensure a critical piece of underground infrastructure isn’t disrupted while we build the West Gate Tunnel,” said Minister for Roads Luke Donnellan.

Starting in the coming weeks, Whitehall Street, Yarraville, will be closed to northbound traffic between Leek Street and Somerville Road for approximately 12 months as the sewer diversion works take place.

Signage on the West Gate Freeway, Whitehall Street, and local roads will alert motorists to temporary detours and speed limit changes during the closures.

More than 1500 people are already working on the West Gate Tunnel Project, with the workforce to grow to 6000 at peak construction.

Images courtesy of Western Distributor Authority.