The first of two giant TBMs has broken through on the West Gate Tunnel Project, marking the completion of excavation on the 2.8 km first tube of twin tunnels under Yarraville - a Melbourne suburb –that will create an alternative to the West Gate Bridge. 

TBM Vida started on the west side of the Maribyrnong River under Yarraville and finished at Williamstown Road near the West Gate Freeway.  TBM Bella is also scheduled to complete her 4km journey in the coming months. Bella and Vida are currently the two biggest TBMs operating in Australia.  

Over the past nine months, TBM Vida has been operated 24/7 by a crew of up to 20 people, excavating over 1,000,000 t of rock and soil while installing more than 10,000 individual concrete segments. Crews will now continue on the important work of building road deck and installing electrical, lighting and safety systems to prepare the tunnel for completion in 2025. 

In the next three months the 90m long and 15.6m wide TBM will be dismantled and lifted piece-by-piece, using a 500-t gantry crane,  out of the pit. The parts of the machine will be either recycled or returned to the manufacturer for other use.  

For further information on the project please click here and au/35 and visit https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/. 08/23.