The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) engaged the Lane Cove Tunnel Company to design, construct, maintain and operate the Lane Cove Tunnel for 33 years.

This key component in Sydney’s orbital road network involved the construction of a twin 3.6km tunnel plus 3.5km of bridge and road upgrades to link the M2 Motorway with the Gore Hill Freeway. The project included two new lanes across the Lane Cove River, transit lanes on the Gore Hill Freeway, new ramps at Falcon Street, together with a new continuous cycleway and pedestrian path from North Ryde to Naremburn.

Seven roadheader machines were used to excavate the tunnels from access points at Marden Street in Artarmon, a mid-tunnel site and from Mowbray Road at Lane Cove.

Construction was subject to stringent conditions covering management of water and air quality, noise, dust control and other environmental aspects, traffic management, community consultation and community information programs. Challenges of the project included the difficulties of working on a route that caters for around 90,000 vehicles a day and the requirement that there be no reduction in the number of traffic lanes during peak hours.

As well as improving travel times between the city and Sydney’s north-west suburbs, the project has relieved traffic congestion and improved pedestrian and public transport facilities around Lane Cove.