Record speed at Legacy Way

The Legacy Way project is celebrating the outstanding performance of production by tunnel boring machines (TBM) Annabell and Joyce as they excavate the twin tunnels at record speed. Launched from the western worksite at Toowong in mid-October, Joyce has joined her companion TBM Annabell in setting a record pace for underground excavation. Together both TBMs are averaging excavation at a rate of more than 150 metres per week, which sets the project at a world class standard for production. Transcity Project Director Fernando Fajardo said he was proud of the team’s outstanding efforts. “The team is setting records for our rate of excavation which is a credit to their global expertise, hard work and commitment to successfully delivering this project,” he said. Transcity Tunnel Construction Manager Matteo Ortu said the statistics of production were impressive. “Annabell has excavated more than 2kms in the past three and a half months and produces 48 metres on the best day,” Mr Ortu said. “Joyce, launched in early October after a spectacularly short assembly time, has achieved excavation of more than 1.4 kilometres after just over two months of tunnelling.” “Joyce holds a staggering record of excavating 49.7m in one day, as well as maximum of 248.82m in one week and a 30 day maximum of 787.78m.” “This is an outstanding performance and there are only a few projects worldwide that can show similar achievements using large diameter TBMs.” Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the record speeds being set on the project, was a good indication the Legacy Way tunnel would be delivered on-time to residents and visitors by 2015. “Each milestone we reach on this project brings us one step closer to being able to provide a four minute trip between Toowong and Kelvin Grove,” he said. “Legacy Way alone will cut the trip from Jindalee to Kelvin Grove from 30 minutes to 10 minutes and allow motorists to travel from the Ipswich Motorway to the Airport without one traffic light.” This rate of TBM productivity has meant an increased demand for precast segment production and a faster removal of spoil which is being transported via an underground conveyor to the Mt Coot-tha Quarry. “We definitely have the Usain Bolt of tunnel boring machines,” boasted Mr Fajardo. Transcity is using two Herrenknecht Double-Shield TBMs to excavate Legacy Way. These machines each measure 12.4 metres in diameter, 110 metres long and weigh 2,800 tonnes. Cr Quirk acknowledged the Federal Labor Government’s support for the project through $500 million in funding under the Nation Building Program. Legacy Way is Brisbane City Council’s 4.6km road tunnel that will connect the Western Freeway at Toowong with the Inner City Bypass (ICB) at Kelvin Grove. It will provide an alternative route to local roads for traffic leaving the Western Freeway and travelling to and from the ICB. Once open in 2015, Legacy Way will almost halve peak hour travel times between the Centenary Bridge and the ICB. ______________________________________________________________________________

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