Star Weekly journalist Jennifer Pittorino recently toured the outbound tunnel exit now taking shape as part of the mammoth West Gate Tunnel Project.
West Gate Tunnel Project executive director Peter Lellyett explained the structures taking shape near the tunnel’s outbound exit on the West Gate Freeway in South Kingsville.
“We have just seen the installation of the access ramp for emergency vehicles which is an access point for emergency services,” he said.
“That way in the event of an emergency they can drive down into the base of the tunnel (to access) the emergency.”
With most of the work completed, Mr Lellyett said the project is on track for completion in 2025.
“Our crew will continue working on the reinforcing to continue to bring all of the walls up around the tunnel,” he said.
“There is still a lot of work to do, but it is going really well and moving ahead rapidly.”
Mr Lellyett highlighted the design structure of the ventilation duct which is still being built.
“The concrete ventilation structure will be covered over. We will also continue to take the height of the concrete structures up around itself,” he said.
“It will then be covered in a big aluminium cladding system which makes use of the architectural elements.”
In case of an emergency, Mr Lellyett said the ventilation system has been designed to allow smoke to escape up through the large body of the tunnel, along with the emissions from trucks passing through.
“There are ventilation ducts above the traffic space where any smoke and air will be pulled through the huge rectangular opening through huge silver fans and our of the ventilation structure,” he said.
Once cars emerge from the outbound tunnel, Mr Lellyett said the traffic will be free flowing onto the freeway.
“We have already opened two new lanes outbound and one new lane inbound,” he said.
“From four lanes each way it is now six lanes each way, which has already helped with traffic flow.”
