Underpass construction marks significant milestone in $40M Bomen roads project

Construction of one of the major components of the multi-million dollar Bomen Enabling Roads project started on Sunday 12 March.

Machinery has started digging out a rail underpass that tunnels under the main Sydney to Melbourne rail link.

The underpass is a vital link in the new Bomen road network, connecting the new east and west roadways being built as part of the $40M project, and resulting in the closure of the Dampier Street level crossing.

“The road safety benefits the underpass will bring makes it one of the most important pieces of infrastructure for the whole Enabling Roads project,” Commercial Operations Sector Manager Caroline Angel said.  

“As well as safety, closing the level crossing will also create a potential round-trip saving of 36 minutes for Higher Mass Limit (HML) vehicles.

“There is no doubt these works are a significant milestone in the Bomen Enabling Roads project, which is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the City’s history.”  

On Sunday, construction of the underpass started with a one-day outage of the rail line, as agreed with the Australian Rail Track Corporation, boring and pouring of sheet piling, earthwork excavations, installation of supports and beams and reopening of the rail lines.

The works were carried out on the eastern side first, and then moved to the western side.

Following the completion of these works, the remainder of the earth will now be dug out and a two-lane, 11-metre wide road built underneath. The opening of the underpass will measure 19 metres in width and be 5.4metres high.

The underpass works are expected to be complete by April 25.

Meanwhile, all roadways for the Bomen Enabling Roads project have now been cut, with about 500,000 cubic metres of earth, the equivalent of filling 200 Olympic size swimming pools, excavated on site.

Culverts have been installed at road crossings and drainage works have started.

Road pavement works have also started with about 100,000 cubic metres of gravel now on site.  

The Bomen Enabling Roads project unlock 1800 hectares of industrial land at the Bomen Business Park for potential development and serves as stage one of the proposed Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RiFL) Hub program.

The next step for stage two is finalising commercial terms with Council’s private sector partner, Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA). These negotiations have been progressing well and are expected to be finalised in the coming months.  

The RiFL Hub program and Bomen Enabling Roads project have been made possible through State Government funding of $13.2M and Federal Government funding of $14.5M.

Bomen Enabling Roads: works update

* Earthworks began in November 2016

* Roadways are now all formed, with about 500,000m3 of earth removed from site

* All culverts installed at road crossings and drainage (sewer and stormwater) works started

* Road pavement works started, with 100,000m3 of gravel now on site

* All underground services redirected in preparation for underpass construction

Benefits of Bomen Enabling Roads

* Cater for future traffic demand

* Improve and address existing traffic constraints

* Address significant safety concerns

* Stimulate economic growth by opening up industrial zoned land in Bomen Business Park

* Support the potential development of the RiFL Hub

RiFL Hub program

Stage One: Bomen Enabling Roads

The creation of the Wagga Wagga High Productivity Freight Route between the Sturt Highway and the Olympic Highway via Bomen consists of:

* Construction of a grade-separated underpass of the Main Southern Railway Line (located near the western point of East Bomen Road) also to enable Higher Productivity Vehicles (HPV’s) access

* The closure of the Dampier Street level crossing at Bomen

* The associated road works to allow the underpass construction including a heavy vehicle intersection near East Bomen Road

* The construction of a link road connecting the existing Bomen Business Park to the underpass running north from the Bomen Road intersection of Dampier Street along the disused stock rail sidings

* A heavy vehicle link between the eastern side of the main rail line to the Olympic Highway

* The replacement of Eunony Bridge to lift the current General Mass Limit (GML) restriction and enable Higher Productivity Vehicles (HPVs) access (separate to current tender)

* Land acquisitions required for Stage One

* Eunony Bridge Road Deviation Project (completed)

Stage Two: RiFL Hub (subject to negotiations)

The rail infrastructure and terminals consist of:

* Installation of turnouts off the Main Southern Railway Line to facilitate the construction of the proposed RiFL Hub Master Siding

* Rail infrastructure, including a master siding (approximately 5.8km) servicing the terminal/s

* Intermodal terminal for the transfer of containers between road and rail transport

* Potentially a Grain terminal with bulk grain handling facilities

* Adjoining industrial land development

* Land acquisitions required to complete Stage Two