DB80 Concrete Barriers for West Gate Tunnel Project

Crash Barriers for West Gate Tunnel Project, CPBJH Joint Venture

• Customer: CPBJH Joint Venture
• Project: West Gate Tunnel Project
• Location: Yarraville VIC, Australia
• Time period: July 2018

PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Victoria’s extensive West Gate Tunnel Project will deliver a vital alternative to the congested West Gate Bridge. It will provide a much needed second river crossing, quicker and safer journeys, and remove thousands of trucks from the city’s residential streets.

The project is a partnership between the Victorian Government and Transurban and will be built by a joint venture between construction contractors CPB Contractors and John Holland (CPBJH JV).

During construction CPBJH JV required a concrete crash barrier to use around the perimeter of the site and demarcate traffic no-go zones. They chose the Deltabloc DB80 TL-3 rated barrier from Jaybro as an ideal product to protect workers alongside the road.

THE CHALLENGES

CPBJH JV secured a scope of works that include upgrading and widening the freeway from 8 to 12 lanes and new tunnels from the West Gate Freeway to the Maribyrnong River. Additionally, workers would construct a new bridge over the Maribyrnong River and an elevated road along Footscray Road.

The considerable construction activity with many staff on site meant that CPBJH JV required a reliable TL-3 crash rated barrier. The project managers needed a longitudinal concrete barrier that could deflect out of control traffic and therefore reduce risk to workers on site. It needed to be approved for use in zones up to 100km/hr, and available in a bulk quantity in order to service the entire sprawling site.

JAYBRO’S SOLUTION

Jaybro supplied CPBJH Joint Venture with approximately 1,392 metres of our DB80 concrete Deltabloc barriers to use on site at the tunnels precinct at Yarraville in Victoria’s inner west. The 232 concrete barriers measure 6 metres long and are approved by VicRoads for speeds up to 100 km/h. They ensure minimal deflection if a motorist was to lose control of their vehicle and collide with the barriers. The DB80 is also approved by Austroads, RMS, TMR and DPTI.

The DB80 Deltabloc barriers are also MASH tested to TL-3. This means the Deltabloc barriers have been tested with a 2270kg ute travelling at 100km/hr impacting the barrier at an angle of 25 degrees (5 lane wide impact). Jaybro’s DB80 Deltabloc MASH Approved concrete barrier offers low deflection for maximum safety. It is currently one of the few barriers on the market to already be tested and approved to Austroads’ new 2019 MASH standards.

The West Gate Tunnel project is due for completion by the end of 2022.

THE PROJECT IN DETAIL

The Victorian Government has partnered with Transurban to deliver the West Gate Tunnel Project, which will give Melbourne a second freeway link between the west and the city.

Currently more than 200,000 vehicles a day rely on the West Gate Bridge, and a single incident can stop traffic. In addition, trucks in the west have no alternative but to use local roads just to get to the Port. The West Gate Tunnel Project aims to end Melbourne's reliance on the West Gate Bridge by building a new tunnel and new links to the port, CityLink and the City.

Ultimately it will get 9,000 trucks off local streets in the inner west and enable 24 hour truck bans on six local roads. The project will have substantial benefits for residents over and above smoother commuting. Over 14 kilometres of new and upgraded walking paths will be built, as well as many new open spaces and planting thousands of trees and other plants in the freeway area.

KEY DATA

• System used: DB80 TL-3 Concrete Crash Barriers
• Time Period: Installed July 2018
• Customer: CPBJH Joint Venture
• Quantity: 232 Concrete Barriers – 6m
• Install Length: Approx. 1,392m

PRODUCT SPECS

• Weight: 3120kg
• Length: 6m
• Height: 800mm
• Width: 580mm
• Approved Speed Limit: 100km/h