Transport For NSW’s Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 project, constructed by CPB Contractors in a joint venture, has won the 2022 Infrastructure Project Excellence Award at the Australasian Rail Industry (ARI) Awards. This award acknowledges the innovative, efficient and sustainable initiatives adopted on the project and the benefits that it has brought to the community.
Committed to delivering a positive social impact, the project has provided outstanding employment, training and enterprise opportunities, including:
- more than 50% of the workforce are in apprentice or learning worker roles
- 2.6% of the workforce are women in non-traditional roles
- exceeding the Indigenous procurement target by more than $6 million.
CPB Contractors is focused on continuous improvement and delivering the Parramatta Light Rail project saw a number of stand-out initiatives adopted. The NSW-first use of macro synthetic fibres in the concrete sleepers along the rail alignment reduced the amount of steel required and increased the durability and performance of the concrete.
The innovative design and construction of Bidgee Bidgee Bridge included the use of weathered steel to minimise future maintenance requirements and disruption to light rail operations. The bridge was fabricated offsite and installed with an innovative self-propelling gantry system. During a 12-hour overnight operation, the entire bridge deck was rolled across James Ruse Drive to its final seating position, minimising any disruptive impacts to traffic.
Many materials were re-used and recycled during the delivery of the project, including:
- 1000+ tonnes of recycled glass in asphalt
- more than 25,000m2 of existing asphalt milled and re-sheeted rather than removing and rebuilding the entire profile
- 6000+ tonnes of recycled asphalt pavement in asphalt works
- 100% re-use of usable spoil on the project
- 95%+ of topsoil re-used in landscaping works
- 40% of aggregates recycled
- recycling 99% of construction and demolition waste, diverting more than 145,900 tonnes of landfill waste.
Located in Western Sydney, the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 will connect Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia with a 12-kilometre, two-way track. CPB Contractors is delivering the infrastructure works for the Parramatta Light Rail in a joint venture with Downer for the NSW Government with services expected to begin in 2024.