Invitation to tender for the double track tunnels under Perth’s CBD, as part of a scheme to extend the commuter line south to the suburb of Mandurah, has been put back. The process was due to start this month, but the likely date is now March 2003.
Construction on the 1.65km long tunnel underneath the city will now begin in the second half of 2003, to meet tight deadlines. The “overriding milestone,” according to the Perth City Rail Advisory Committee (PCRAC) executive officer, Richard Mann, is “to have the line operating to Waikiki by the end of 2006.” This cannot be achieved without the tunnelled section under Perth.
Pressure from local communities concerned with the original alignment of the line, prompted the government to set up the PCRAC earlier this year, to evaluate route options.
The government-funded US$113M project came under attack from residents and environmentalists, concerned that the original route was not sensitive to local surroundings.
After considering two options, the PCRAC opted for a central line. The US$61M, 6m diameter twin bore tunnel will run under the foreshore, to a station on the Esplanade near the new convention centre, then to an underground extension of Perth Central Station, where it will link with the Northern suburbs line. The cost of station construction, takes the underground works up to US$107M.
There will be some up front design aspects, but the successful consortium will be expected to finalise plans.
The Perth tunnel will allow passengers on the new 72km long south rail line from Mandurah to pass without changing trains in Perth on to Clarkson on a 4km long extension of the existing northern line, a total distance of 105km.
