MELBOURNE, VIC. — The Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) tunnel boring machine (TBM) ‘Alice’ is now tunnelling from Burwood to Glen Waverley.
The second machine, ‘Hacia’, is in the ground and will start excavating the second twin tunnel in the coming weeks.
The machines are being launched using an ‘umbilical method’ due to the confined space of the site – where the front part of the TBM starts tunnelling, while the rest of the machine is gradually built behind it.
TBM Alice is named after musician Alice Ivy, and TBM Hacia after construction industry trailblazer Hacia Atherton.
A third machine will launch from Clarinda this year, with more launching next year from Burwood towards Box Hill and from Heatherton to Cheltenham.
Public Transport Minister Vicki Ward said: “Tunnelling is powering ahead on this important project for Victoria, as Labor gets on with building our much-needed orbital rail. We’ll deliver the Suburban Rail Loop on time and under budget.”
Oakleigh MLA Steve Dimopoulos said: “SRL will slash travel times and cut congestion for families across Melbourne’s south-east.”
