Tunnel boring machines arrive at launch site with police escort

TBM arrival
With a police escort, TBMs make their way to the site (Metrolinx photo)

Ontario Construction News staff writer

Two iconic pieces of the boring machines for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project arrived at the at the tunnel launch site after a journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

The cutter heads, each weighing about 65 tones and measuring about 6.5 metres in diameter, had a police escort to the site at Renforth Drive and Commerce Boulevard.

metrolinx1

The remaining parts are travelling from Europe in shipping containers, and are scheduled to arrive in January. Once all the parts are on site, the team will start the process of assembling these machines, a process that takes months.

unloading

Finally, the boring machines  will be lowered into the ground to begin the big dig.

The team has been working on the launch shaft – a massive hole measuring 80 metres long, 20 metres wide and 17 metres deep – large enough to hold 10 Olympic-size swimming pools of water.

launch shaft
The launch shaft (Metrolinx)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

I accept the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.