The first mega tunnel boring machine launched on the NSW Government's Metro City and South West project has broken through at Waterloo after tunnelling 3.1 kilometres from Marrickville.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport Andrew Constance joined workers to welcome the arrival of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), Nancy, at the site of the new Waterloo Metro Station.
"This is history in the making as we get on with the job of delivering turn-up-and-go Metro services up to every two minutes from Chatswood, under the Harbour and CBD and onto Bankstown," Ms Berejiklian said.
"TBM Nancy only started digging in October and has now arrived at Waterloo after completing 3.1 kilometres of tunnelling in less than six months.
"In a couple of weeks Nancy will continue tunnelling towards Barangaroo via new metro stations at Central, Pitt Street and Martin Place."
Mr Constance said TBM Nancy's tunnel breakthrough at Waterloo was an exciting milestone for the country's biggest public transport project, which will connect Sydney's North West with the City and South West like never before.
"When Metro City and South West is complete in 2024 Sydney will have 31 metro stations along a new 66 kilometre metro rail line with the capacity to move about 40,000 customers an hour," Mr Constance said.
TBM Mum Shirl is tunnelling alongside TBM Nancy from Marrickville and is only a few hundred metres from breaking through at Waterloo.
The mega tunnel boring machines are two of the five TBMs building the 15.5 kilometre twin railway tunnels between Chatswood and Marrickville.
