The NSW State has awarded the first major tunneling contract to Acciona Construction Australia Pty Ltd and Ferrovial Construction (Australia) Pty Ltd Joint Venture as a part of the Sydney Metro West PPP project in Australia.

Once operational, the project will double rail capacity between Greater Sydney and the Sydney CBD, allowing its users to reach from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD in about 20 minutes on a fast, safe and reliable driverless metro train. The tunneling contract is worth AUD1.96 million (US$1.44 billion), under which mega tunnel boring machines will be on the site before the end of 2022. The completion of the contract is expected in 2025. The scope of work includes: 

• Twin 11-kilometer metro railway tunnels from The Bays to Sydney Olympic Park;
• Excavation and civil works for five new stations at The Bays, Five Dock, Burwood North, North Strathfield and Sydney Olympic Park;
• Two double-shield, hard rock TBMs as well as a TBM launch site at The Bays Station and a TBM retrieval site at Sydney Olympic Park Station;
• A crossover cavern at Burwood North and one of the two precast concrete factories at Eastern Creek;
• More than 70,000 concrete segments to line the twin tunnels;
• Two access shafts at Burwood North and The Bays.