Major works are underway on a $54.1 million rail project to ease congestion on a key freight and passenger route between Sydney and Melbourne.
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) project, which is being supported by a $41.56 million contribution by the Australian Government, will deliver overtaking opportunities for trains at Werai in the Southern Highlands, and Joppa Junction near Goulburn.
When completed, the Southern Highlands Overtaking Opportunities project will allow for more efficient movement of freight and passenger rail services, enabling freight trains up to 1,800 metres in length to be overtaken by faster services on the crucial Sydney to Melbourne rail line.
The Southern Highlands corridor stretches 170km from Macarthur to Goulburn and is used to transport a diverse range of freight and passenger services.
It is the most heavily used section of the ARTC network outside the Hunter Valley, with more than three million tonnes of freight transported each year, including aggregates, cement, coal, containers, grain, minerals, steel and waste.
Contractor, Abergeldie Complex Infrastructure is delivering the works which include signalling construction, testing and commissioning, installation of eight new track crossovers, with civil embankment works and access road improvements to support the works.
The project is due for completion in early 2026.
Quotes attributable to an ARTC spokesperson:
"Early works began last month, and we are excited to have reached this stage in construction.
The Southern Highlands Overtaking Opportunities project will improve efficiency for freight and passenger services along this nationally critical rail corridor.
At ARTC we're focused on building a better and more efficient network, and this project represents our continued commitment to making rail the transport mode of choice."
