The Western Harbour Tunnel will be the second road tunnel under Sydney Harbour. The tunnel will connect the WestConnex Rozelle Interchange with the Warringah Freeway at Cammeray. Once complete and pending the construction of the proposed Beaches Link, there will be a continuous connection from WestConnex at Rozelle to Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Stage Two includes tunnelling between Birchgrove and the Warringah Freeway at Cammeray. Included in the project scope is:
- construction of approximately 4.8 kilometres of tunnelling
- harbour marine work, and
- tunnel fit-out.
Approximately 1.5 km of the harbour crossing section twin tunnellling will be completed using tunnel boring machines. Remaining tunnelling will be completed using roadheaders.
Key Dates
| Mar 2021 | ROIs Open |
| Dec 2022 | Expected Contract Award |
| Dec 2022 | Contract Award |
| Nov 2023 | Construction Commencement |
| Dec 2028 | Expected Construction Completion |
Funding contributions
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The NSW 2021-22 Budget allocated $6.3 billion over the next four years for the Western Harbour Tunnel, Beaches Link and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, including $454 million in FY2021-22. |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Transport for NSW |
| Shortlist: | ACCIONA, a Bouygues Construction and VINCI Construction Grands Projets Joint Venture, and a John Holland, CPB Contractors and UGL Engineering Joint Venture |
| Successful Tenderer: | ACCIONA |
| Procurement note: | The NSW Government established a procurement process for a Development Partner in October 2020 and shortlisted Bechtel, Laing O'Rourke, and the Harbour West Partners Consortium, comprising Macquarie Capital, Jacobs and RPS in December 2020. Subsequently, this process was cancelled in September 2021. |
| Related contracts: |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Jul 2020 | The NSW Government announced it will be seeking a Development Partner to assist with the procurement and delivery of the project, with an Expression of Interest for the Development Partner expected in August 2020. |
| Nov 2020 | The 2020-21 NSW Budget allocated $356 million to the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade for FY2020-21. The funding will be provided towards planning and preconstruction activities. |
| Dec 2020 | The NSW Government announced the shortlist for the Delivery Partner contract. Shortlisted bidders were Bechtel Infrastructure, Laing O'Rourke and Harbour West Partners a consortium comprising Macquarie Capital, Jacobs and RPS. |
| Mar 2021 | The NSW Government opened Pre-Registrations for the Western Harbour Tunnel. Main works on the project will be split into Package One, which includes an immersed tube crossing and marine works, and Package Two, which includes driven tunnels and mechanical and electrical fitout works. Pre-Registrations close on 14 May. |
| Jun 2021 | The NSW 2021-22 Budget allocated $6.3 billion over the next four years for the Western Harbour Tunnel, Beaches Link and Warringah Freeway Upgrade, including $454 million in FY2021-22. |
| Sep 2021 | The NSW Government confirmed that construction for the project had moved from commencing in 2021 and reaching completion in 2026 to a 2022 commencement and 2027 completion. |
| Sep 2021 | The NSW Government cancelled the procurement process for a Western Harbour Tunnel Development Partner, instead moving to a traditional design and construction commercial framework. All shortlisted bidders were to receive an equal compensation payment. |
| Dec 2021 | In late December 2021, the NSW Government awarded the Western Harbour Tunnel Geotechnical Investigation and Groundwater Monitoring package to GHD and SMEC. |
| Jan 2022 | The NSW Government shortlisted three bidders for the project.The shortlisted bidders were ACCIONA, a Bouygues Construction and VINCI Construction Grands Projets Joint Venture, and a John Holland, CPB Contractors and UGL Engineering Joint Venture. |
| Dec 2022 | The NSW Government awarded the contract to ACCIONA. Following ACCIONA submitting an alternative methodology in its tender, the Government has altered has altered the construction methodology for the harbour crossing section of the project. The harbour crossing will now be constructed using tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The project was previously planned to cross the harbour using an immersed tube tunnel. The planned use of roadheaders to complete the project’s remaining tunnelling is unchanged. The project will now undergo a process to modify its planning approvals, which is expected to take up to a year. main works construction is now expected to be completed in 2028. The project was originally expected to be completed in 2027 |
| Dec 2022 | The NSW Government appointed SMEC Australia and The APP Group as the Independent Certifier for Stage Two of the project. |
| May 2023 | An AECOM and Aurecon Joint Venture was awarded the detailed design contract for the project by ACCIONA. |
| Jul 2023 | The NSW Government placed a modification application for the change in construction methodology for Stage Two of the project (between Birchgrove and Waverton), on public exhibition, closing 15 August. |
| Aug 2023 | The NSW Government issued a Request for Tender seeking proposals for financial auditor services to deliver the Western Harbour Tunnel - Stage Two, closing 28 September. |
| Nov 2023 | Major works commenced on the project. |
| Feb 2024 | Transport for NSW announced the proposed change in tunnel construction method - from immersed tubes to the use of TBMs for tunnelling - had been approved by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure. |
