Client: Transport for New South Wales
Location: Sydney CBD and north
Duration: 2017 – current
Project Value: $Confidential
Roles: Engineering Technical Manager
In November 2015, Transport for New South Wales announced the construction of a 27 kilometre bus rapid transit network between Newport on the Northern Beaches and the Sydney central business district. The B-Line Program is an integrated package of service and infrastructure improvements designed to provide more reliable journeys between Mona Vale and the Sydney CBD. The program includes multiple contract types, including RMS stewardship contracts, Construct only and Design and Construct. Improvements to the road corridor and implementation of bus priority measures will improve reliability of bus services affected by congestion at several bottlenecks. All project construction and roadwork will be complete by 2019.
The new double-decker bus service provides more frequent and reliable services for commuters travelling between the Northern Beaches, Lower North Shore and the Sydney CBD. The program features 10 modern bus stops, and initially include four new commuter carparks, encouraging customers to park and ride. Services started on 26 November 2017 from Mona Vale and Wynyard between 4:30am and 12:30am, 7 days a week. Key program features include:
- High frequency ‘turn up and go’ bus service
- Reliable and high capacity services
- Easing congestion on roads along B-Line route
Engineering Technical Manager
MCE was engaged by Transport for NSW to manage the delivery of the on-road works associated with the Mosman and Neutral Bay Precincts. The key feature of this package of works was the delivery of three tidal flow systems, including:
- The extension to the existing tidal flow system at Wycombe Road.
- A new Tidal Flow System at Cremorne Junction.
- The extension of the existing tidal flow system from Ourimbah Road to Medusa Street.
MCE was commissioned late in the project lifecycle to manage the delivery program of design and construct contractor (Fulton Hogan), manage the preparation of the REF for the Tidal flow system from Ourimbah Road to Medusa Street and facilitate the approval of the systems through the various stakeholders including:
- The RMS ITS approval process.
- Network Sydney.
- The Traffic Management Centre.
- State Transit Authority.
- RMS internal tech services.
Key Successes and Outcomes
- MCE identified early that the delayed commencement of the design and engagement of the D&C contractor to undertake the additional scope of the Ourimbah Road to Medusa Street tidal flow system was not going to achieve the desired project outcome of having functional final tidal flow systems at the commencement of the project bus services. MCE managed the risk of tidal flow delivery to minimise the impact to bus operations.
- MCE worked with the D&C contractor and the key project stakeholders such as network Sydney, bus operators, RMS operations to align on what would be achievable by bus operation, and worked to align expectations on temporary operations to have a temporary tidal flow system (KLEMMFIX) installed to minimise the impact of new bus stops on the existing traffic conditions.
