The Federal Government announced in Tuesday night’s Budget that it will spend an additional $3.8 billion into the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East project, bringing its total investment to $6 billion.
Digging deep: SRL East is the first stage of the planned 90km underground rail line connecting Melbourne’s outer northeast and northwest.
Due for completion by 2035, the project will deliver six underground stations from Cheltenham to Box Hill via 26km of twin tunnels.
Tunnelling machines, currently being built, are slated to start boring later this year.
The project’s total budget is estimated at $30-34.5 billion, with the Federal Government expected to contribute a third of the funding.
The State Government has committed about $11.8 billion.
The balance is expected to be raised via a tax on development around the six new underground stations and further Federal Government funding.