By Lynda Myer
Laying a new 630 m sewer pipe, which has been excavated by a remote-controlled micro-tunneling machine, a massive program of early construction work was kicked off in Clayton for the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) on 9 June 2022. Road modifications, service relocation, and preparation for three sites, where the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will be started up, are going to be the first phase of works for SRL East among Cheltenham and Box. The number of TBMs that are estimated to bore the 26km of twin tunnels that will connect the 6 new underground stations, is up to 10.
The determined date for the inauguration of Suburban Rail Loop East will be 2035, which will cover the first of 3 stages of the 90km orbital loop linking every major rail line via the airport, connecting major employment, health, and education centers, creating a pipeline of jobs and training opportunities, and slashing travel times. A trip from Cheltenham to Box Hill will take just 22 minutes.
Due to linking regional Victorians to SRL and one of the busiest interchange stations on the network, the new station at Clayton will be a transport super hub. The Clayton site has been established by Indigenous construction firm Wamarra – the first sub-contractor employed on this city-shaping project.
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