A work site area is being established as part of preparations for construction of the new Seymour-Avenel bridge for the Inland Rail in Victoria.
This includes construction of a temporary road to access Granville Drive and the closure of Seymour-Avenel Road with detours by early 2024.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) engaged McConnell Dowell in December 2021 to complete the first phase of designs and early delivery activities at four sites in Victoria, with this being the fourth project. The work is to enable double-stacked freight trains to run on the existing North East Rail Line between Beveridge and Albury NSW.
With a design that includes a 35-metre span bridge, the new structure will be about 3.2 metres higher than the existing bridge. It will incorporate earth embankments sympathetic to the surrounding environment and retaining walls to reduce impact on Avenel Road and construction is expected to be complete in early 2025.
The project is expected to support hundreds of jobs in Victoria, according to the company, and provide an $8 billion boost in gross state product from construction and direct operation of the rail line.
ARTC Victoria and South Australian general manager, Ed Walker, revealed that three companies have been shortlisted in the tender process to bid for the eight remaining projects at Euroa, Benalla, Seymour, Broadford, Wandong and Tallarook.
“We will select a preferred contractor next year and start construction at some of these sites before the end of next year,” he said.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is our weekly news journalist and the editor of Concrete in Australia magazine for 10 years. She has been heavily involved in all forms of engineering since 2013; part of a 30-year writing career across a range of subjects and media.