M4 East Notification | April 2017

12 April 2017

Construction Update, Homebush

Work is underway on WestConnex which involves widening and extending the M4 and M5 and joining them to create a

free-flowing motorway network.

The M4 East will extend the existing M4 from Homebush to Haberfield via underground twin tunnels, each 5.5 kilometres

in length and among the widest in the southern hemisphere. They will allow for three lanes of traffic in each direction,

saving travel time for motorists and taking traffic off local roads. For more information, visit westconnex.com.au/M4East.

The M4 East project requires the upgrade of existing interchanges as well as a realignment of major roads to connect the

new mainline tunnels to the surface road network. This interchange will connect both the M4 Motorway and Homebush

Bay Drive to the new mainline tunnels, as well as maintaining current surface traffic movements. Permanent facilities will

be housed at the Homebush Bay Drive and Underwood Road sites, including the motorway control centre, substations,

operational water treatment plant and western ventilation facility.

Artist’s impression of M4 Motorway tunnel portals, Homebush looking east (elements in this image are subject to further development)

For more information Drop in to the Community Information Centre

info@M4East.com.au Open 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday

1800 660 248 (excluding public holidays)

westconnex.com.au 52 Railway Parade, Burwood NSW 2134

Motorway control centre

A 24 hour staffed motorway control centre will be located adjacent to the M4 Motorway, near Homebush Bay Drive. The

complex will comprise of a motorway control centre, maintenance facility building and equipment storage.

The motorway control centre will be a three-storey office-style building, with a one-storey maintenance facility building

attached.

The centre will include facilities necessary for the monitoring, maintenance and control of tunnel services including tunnel

safety, ventilation, power, lighting and other road systems required for the safe and efficient operation of tunnels.

The construction of the motorway control centre has commenced within the project site, as has the facilities’ access road

from Homebush Bay Drive which is due for completion by the second quarter of 2017. The structural steel and roofing

construction is scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2017. The internal fit out will follow with the works

expected to be complete by the end of this year.

Tunnel ventilation facility

The western ventilation facility will be located above the cut and cover section of the westbound mainline tunnel west of

Underwood Road. The facility will also include a substation at ground level. The ventilation facility will have a height of

approximately 38m above Underwood Road ground level.

During operation, the ventilation system will draw fresh air into the tunnel and release air via the ventilation facility. The air

quality modelling predicts emissions from the ventilation facility will have a negligible impact on local air quality. To ensure

air quality is maintained, WestConnex will have a management plan which involves 24 hour a day monitoring of tunnel air

quality and compliance with independent guidelines for in-tunnel air quality. Air quality results will be made publicly

available. Air quality near the project will be monitored for 12 months before the tunnel is operational and a minimum of

24 months after the tunnel is operational.

Works associated with the construction of the Underwood Road Ventilation Facility will commence in August 2017. Initial

activity will involve the installation of a crane within the work site followed by the erection of precast panels to form the

structure. The construction of the structure is scheduled to be complete within the first quarter of 2018 at which time

mechanical and electrical installation and commissioning will commence. It is anticipated that these works will be

complete by the second quarter of 2018.

Artist’s impression of proposed design of Underwood Road Ventilation Facility, Homebush (elements in this image are subject to further development)

Ismay Avenue substation

A substation building and fire pump room will be located on the eastside of Ismay Avenue above the westbound tunnel.

The substation will provide uninterrupted power supply to the mainline tunnels and associated mechanical and electrical

equipment. The primary water source for the tunnel deluge system will be water tanks and fire pump facilities. The tunnel

deluge and fire suppression system, including number, location and capacity of water storage facilities, will be designed

and sized to meet the requirements of Fire & Rescue NSW.

Tunnelling

The first of three roadheaders operating from the Underwood Road construction site commenced tunnelling in August 2016,

with the second roadheader launched in September 2016, and the third in January 2017. The two larger roadheaders

launched in 2016 are tunnelling in an easterly direction to construct the eastbound and westbound tunnels of the M4 East.

The smaller machine is excavating the approximately 100 metres in the eastbound and westbound tunnels, heading west

towards the excavation portal, to meet the cut and cover works.

In accordance with the conditions set out in the project’s Environmental Protection Licence, tunnelling activities including

excavation will occur 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Excavated rock and material will be stored in the acoustic shed to be removed from the site during standard construction

hours of 7.00 am to 6.00 pm Monday to Friday and 8.00 am to 1.00 pm on Saturday.

The roadheaders are currently located beneath the railway corridor west of Queen Street, North Strathfield at a depth of

approximately 25 metres. They are expected to reach the Concord interchange in August 2017, where they will

demobilise. For further information on roadheader progress, please visit: https://gis.aecomonline.net/westconnex/m4east/

Following this demobilisation, the mechanical and electrical team will occupy the acoustic shed on Ismay Avenue where

they will commence activities associated with the implementation of the mechanical, electrical and communication systems

in the tunnel.

Rock bolter within Underwood Tunnel Shaft, Homebush January 2017

Cut and cover construction

Work commenced in early October 2016 to construct the cut and cover tunnel beneath Underwood Road, Homebush in

order to join the M4 Motorway to the new east and westbound tunnels. The cut and cover is a section of tunnel which

involves excavating a deep trench and constructing an overhead support roof to carry the road overhead.

The second stage of the realignment of Underwood Road in a westerly direction is scheduled to take place in May 2017 for

a duration of three months. At the conclusion of this work, Underwood Road will be returned to its original alignment.

The construction of the cut and cover tunnel roof has commenced on the western side of Underwood Road with the

installation of roof planks and slabs. This activity will continue on the eastern side of Underwood Road from April 2017 with

the roof of the cut and cover scheduled to be complete by the end 2017 from which time excavation and road works will

continue beneath Underwood Road between the eastern and western Underwood Road sites.

Cut and cover dive structure, Underwood Road west, Homebush February 2017

M4 Motorway

In March, work was completed on the M4 Motorway to shift sections of the east and westbound carriageways between

Homebush Bay Drive and Underwood Road. These shifts were required to create space in order to facilitate the construction

of the new M4 westbound off-ramp to Homebush Bay Drive and construction of tunnel portals near Pomeroy Street

pedestrian bridge.

It is anticipated that eastbound surface traffic will be shifted to the new surface carriageway above the tunnel dive

structure by December 2017. Construction continues on the east and west bound ramps onto Homebush Bay Drive. The

new Homebush Bay Drive westbound off-ramp is scheduled to open within the third quarter of 2017 and the Homebush

Bay Drive eastbound on-ramp in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Landscaping

Landscaping in the area will be carried out progressively as work is completed. The team is committed to planting

vegetation as early as possible in order to allow for maximum growth prior to the opening of the motorway. The team aim

to have all vegetation between Verley Drive and Short Street East in place by the end of the third quarter of 2017.

More questions?

The M4 East project team is committed to working closely with you to inform you of upcoming work over the course of the

project and to minimise impact from our construction activities.

For further information on the WestConnex M4 East project please don’t hesitate to contact members of the project team.

Phone: 1800 660 248 (toll-free 24/7)

Email: info@M4East.com.au

Visit: M4 East Community Information Centre, 52 Railway Parade, Burwood, open weekdays from 9am to 5pm.

Notification reference: N193