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ATS VIC – A Sydney Heads Rail Tunnel & Airport Light Rail
May 1, 2019 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm AEST
Join the Australasian Tunneling Society (ATS) for a presentation on opportunities for rail tunnels to improve Sydney’s rail connectivity.
A rail tunnel under Sydney Heads would connect the Sydney CBD through to Gosford via a 60 km long tunnel extension from Bondi Junction Station on the Eastern Suburbs/Illawarra Line, positioning Brookvale as a new satellite CBD, only 15 minutes travel time from the Sydney CBD. The project could extend to a faster rail link between Newcastle, the Sydney CBD and Canberra, with another option being to connect Parramatta to the Sydney CBD and the Eastern Suburbs railway line through the existing Martin Place Station. The latter option includes new station platforms and tunnels excavated directly under St James Station, with another new line, in tunnels, perhaps extending to Malabar.
This presentation will discuss these options, as well as the backgrounds and key aspects of the project concepts.
The feasibility and opportunities offered by an underground light rail link to Sydney’s airport will also be discussed: light rail can accommodate steeper gradients and tighter curves than heavy rail systems, and there are possible connections into unused tunnel sections at Wynyard Station. A light rail route that connects North Sydney, through the CBD and the University of Sydney has been proposed.
Time: 6:00 to 7:30PM
Venue: Engineers Australia Victoria, Level 31 Bourke St, Melbourne
Speaker: Ted Nye
Session Contact: gcacchione@engineersaustralia.org.au
Speaker
Ted Nye: Director, E J Nye & Associates Pty Ltd
Ted is a consultant specialising in underground engineering for transport related projects, although he is also currently involved with a pumped storage hydro project. Commencing his career on the Melbourne Underground Rail, Ted then gained extensive experience overseas before moving to Sydney as the Design Team Leader of the land tunnels of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. More recent experience includes the Sydney Airport Line soft ground tunnel, road and bus tunnels in Brisbane, road tunnels Melbourne and Sydney (including recently as a specialist advisor), and water supply and hydro tunnels in both NSW, Victoria and overseas. Other recent rail projects include the Melbourne Metro (client side) and Sydney Metro Stage 1 (design). Ted conceived the initial concept of a rail tunnel under Sydney Heads as far back as 1996, and canvased the idea to the then State-wide Roads. The concept was further developed during 2017 and 2018 with support from industry colleagues Peter Prince and Dr Sam Lackey.