The Cross City Tunnel motorway runs between the eastern side of Darling Harbour and Kings Cross, linking the Western Distributor to New South Head Road. It connects with the Eastern Distributor. A connection to the Domain Tunnel allows traffic from the eastern suburbs to directly access the harbour crossings.
Timeline:
Exhibition for comment of the initial concept (1998).
Modified concept (1999).
Environment Impact Statement (EIS) exhibited in August 2000.
Supplementary EIS exhibited in (2002).
Approval by the Minister for Planning after public consultation. Approved route twice the length of the 1998 initial concept. Projected approval subject to 292 Conditions of Approval in December 2002.
Start of major work on 28 January 2003; 19 May 2003, first road header began tunnelling work.
16 June 2004, a 100-tonne road header broke through the eastbound tunnel portal in Rushcutters Bay.
Opened to traffic 28 August 2005.
Length: Approx 2.1kms from Harbour Street, Darling Harbour to the Kings Cross Tunnel (eastern entry).
Approximate cost: $680 million.
Funding: Self-funded through electronic tolling.
Lanes: Two lanes in each direction - single lane exit to Sir John Young Crescent for the Domain Tunnel to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel.
Clearance: 4.6 metres height clearance.
Depth: Maximum depth is 53 metres beneath Hyde Park.
Entrances:
Westbound traffic from the eastern end of Kings Cross Tunnel, Eastern Distributor (northbound).
Eastbound - western Distributor, northbound on Harbour Street.
Exits:
Westbound - Western Distributor, Harbour Street (northbound and southbound).
Eastbound - Eastern end of Kings Cross Tunnel, Eastern Distributor (southbound).
Northbound - Sir John Young Crescent (westbound to northbound traffic only).
Traffic signals avoided: 16 sets westbound, 18 sets eastbound.
Travel time: Two minutes travel time in the tunnel in free flowing traffic - saving up to 20 minutes and an average of 11 minutes in peak times on existing surface roads.
Forecast traffic: Up to 90,000 vehicles per day.
Toll:
The Cross City Tunnel is fully electronically tolled. The electronic tolling system will be fully compatible with other toll roads.
The tolls will increase in line with CPI. Cross City Motorway website provides up to date information.
Jobs created: 1,600 direct jobs and 3,600 indirect jobs created during construction. More than 5,200 people undertook safety induction courses to allow them to work at total of 3.3 million work hours on the project.
William Street: Footpath widening, upgrading and tree planting by reduction to one through lane one T2 transit lane and one dedicated cycle lane, in each direction.
Park Street at Hyde Park: Footpath widening, upgrading and landscaping by reduction to one Bus Lane and a single through lane in each direction.
Druitt Street: Bus Lanes provided in each direction. Closed to general traffic between Clarence and Kent streets - Bus Lanes only.
Public transport: Daytime T2 transit lanes on William Street and new bus lanes through Hyde Park. Bus lanes on Druitt Street and Druitt Street viaduct. New bus lanes on other city streets. Increased priority for north/south bus routes at city traffic signals.
Cyclists: New on-road bicycle lanes between Kings Cross and Town Hall.
Pedestrians: Shorter time waiting for 'Walk' at traffic signals in the city.
Speed limit in the tunnel: 80km/h.
Spoil removal: Approx 680,000 cubic metres of soil was removed via the Eastern Distributor to avoid city streets.
Tunnelling method: Nine tunnel road headers used - two bored from the bottom of the main vertical shaft at William St; two from the Eastern Distributor entry ramp at Bourke St; one from Sir John Young Crescent; one from Darling Harbour and three were used in cutting cross-passages.
Construction facts: The tunnel contains 4,000 fluorescent lights; 420 kilometres of electric cables; 546 electronic signs; 300 static signs; 108 emergency phones; 133 CCTV cameras; 4,500 cubic metres of asphalt; 44,000 rock bolts; 32,500 cubic metres of concrete.
Contractor: Cross City Motorway Consortium (CCM), comprising Baulderstone Hornibrook, Bilfinger Berger, Deutsche Bank, Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings and DB Capital Partners.
Construction: CCM sub-contracted design and construction to the Baulderstone Hornibrook Bilfinger Berger Joint Venture.
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