As the summer sun shines across the southern hemisphere in 2024, Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, Australia, is ushering in the dawn of a transportation revolution.
According to Australian media on August 6, the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project, an ambitious urban infrastructure project, will unveil its mystery early next year, fulfilling its promise a year ahead of schedule and presenting an unprecedented travel experience for the people of Victoria.
Today, we follow the lens of Australian media reporters to take an in-depth look at the latest progress of this project, revealing how it will change the future of Melbourne and Victoria.
Deep in the tunnel, the road to innovation
Led by Ben Ryan, Director of the Melbourne Metro Tunnel Project, the press team was able to get their first glimpse of the underground dragon. According to Mr. Ryan, this project is not only a complement to the existing bus network, but also a complete upgrade.
It will effectively alleviate the traffic pressure on busy roads such as Swanston Street, especially in the CBD area, creating a more comfortable and convenient underpass for commuters.
The design of the ANZAC station is particularly eye-catching, as it is a globally innovative solution that allows passengers to transfer directly from the tram to the metro station without having to cross the road, perfectly illustrating the concept of seamless multi-modal mobility. The design not only enhances safety, but also demonstrates the foresight of the city planners.
Mr Ryan emphasised that the completion of the MRT tunnel will bring unprecedented convenience to Victoria's major events and holidays, and will be able to efficiently cope with sudden passenger flows and ensure the smooth passage of citizens and visitors. This marks the beginning of a new era of diversification of public transport options in Victoria, the most notable of which is the "go-to-go" service model.
At the same time, passengers do not need to rely on timetables, just arrive at the station, and enjoy high-capacity, high-frequency rail services.
Victorian Labor MP Josh Bull said the Melbourne Metro tunnel project was the largest investment in Victoria's public transport sector since 1991 and heralded earth-shaking change.
According to the Bull MP, the early completion of the project will allow Victorians to experience the charm of the new station first-hand next year, with high-capacity trains and platform screen doors, while seamlessly connecting to the existing bus network, significantly reducing commuting time from the suburbs to the city centre.
Not only that, the radiating effect of this project will benefit the wider surrounding community, bringing both commercial and economic growth to the local area. For the Chinese community, the project will undoubtedly accelerate their reach to major destinations in the city centre, whether it is the bustle of Chinatown or the academic atmosphere of the University of Melbourne, which will be within reach of the subway tunnel.
The pride and emotion of Chinese engineers
The contributions of two Chinese engineers, Kai Yeap and Wilson Yu, should not be underestimated in this milestone project. They said that it was not easy to integrate modern technology on the basis of traditional railways, and their efforts and perseverance paid off in the face of many challenges.
From what started as a barren land to what it is today, Kai Yeap lamented that it has been a valuable asset in his career to witness and participate in this process.
Wilson Yu, a Chinese student at the University of Melbourne, has witnessed the changes in the city in the past two years, especially in the face of the pandemic, and the subway tunnel project has continued to move forward steadily, which makes him proud and accomplished.
Joseph, a Chinese student, told reporters, "After the opening, it is more convenient to go to other places from the school." Consider moving further afield and taking the subway to school to reduce the pressure on rent. ”
Community Open Days for the Future
As the opening date draws closer, the project team is actively preparing a series of community open days to invite the public to experience the new stations in advance and learn more about their design concepts and functional features. This is not only a showcase of the project's results, but also a commitment to the people of Victoria, signaling a more accessible, efficient and vibrant future.