Domain Tunnel
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The Domain Tunnel is a west-bound tunnel joining the Monash Freeway to the West Gate Freeway in Melbourne, Australia. The tunnel is part of the CityLink Tollway operated by Transurban and provides a bypass of the central business district. It runs under the Yarra River and Kings Domain. Regular radio transmission cannot be received while in the tunnel. Commercial stations have installed their own transmitters. A variable speed limit applies in the tunnel. In normal circumstances, the speed limit is 80km/h. During maintenance, a 60km/h speed limit applies and normal radio broadcast is regularly interrupted by announcements.
The tunnel was constructed between 1996 and 1999 by Transfield-Obayashi Joint Venture. It is 1.6km long and is comprised of 0.7km of driven tunnel and 900m of cut-and-cover which includes a shallow river crossing.
On 23 March 2007 just before 10am, a pile-up occurred in the Burnley tunnel involving three trucks and four cars. The crash resulted in multiple explosions and a subsequent fire. This forced the evacuation of motorists from both the Burnley and Domain tunnels. Emergency crews gained access to the crash site through interconnecting tunnels between the Domain and Burnley tunnels.
See also: Burnley Tunnel, an east-bound tunnel running parallel to the Domain Tunnel.
