13 Jun An imaging story of the WestConnex M4-M8 Link

The new extension of the M4 and M8 is now complete. The M4-M8 Link Tunnels connect the M4 at Haberfield with the M8 at St Peters and include stub tunnels to the Rozelle Interchange.

The extension has helped motorists save up to 40 minutes off a journey between Parramatta and Mascot. It marks one of the final stages of the 33km WestConnex motorway network, Sydney’s largest road infrastructure project.

Images for Business has captured several critical aspects of the project for Transurban. Over four years, the team produced time-lapse, video, aerial drone video and still images across construction and media events, including its opening at 3 am on Friday, 20 January.

The visual documentation of the project was vital to public information, internal communications and timely media at critical project milestones.

The final 24 hours

The final 24 hours prior to the opening included a precisely project-managed series of events. Images for Business collaborated with the Transurban team in planning the coverage across various imaging formats.

The schedule and deliverables included:

• A 9:00am media conference on Thursday 19 January by the NSW Premier and Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Reginal Development and Local Government
• Post-production and same-day delivery of imagery from the media event for distribution by Transurban and Transport for NSW
• Capturing imagery of all aspects of the opening, including the transit of traffic management vehicles, the final unveiling of road signage, the laying of on-road graphics, and the Police escort of the first vehicles entering the tunnel at 3 am
• An edited package of timelapse, video, aerial drone video and stills was provided at 9 am the same Friday morning.

 

Press Conference

 

Road Marking

 

The final day coverage contained all the pressure and excitement the Images for Business team relishes.

• A 24-hour activity schedule was produced
• CASA clearance was arranged for flying the drone cameras at night
• Editing and post-production deliverables and schedules were carefully planned
• Team shifts were arranged to overcome WHS requirements

 

Motorway Control Centre

 

General Manager, Toby Shain reflected on the project with a smile. “The entire Images for Business team is grateful for the opportunity to work with Transurban on city-changing projects such as WestConnex. The entire four years, and the last day in particular, are a showcase of our expertise and skills in all forms of imaging. We’ve helped Transurban tell a compelling story about a very exciting project. Not many people get to do what we do”

“What we delivered was important to Transurban, so we had to get the execution right. That’s our professional obligation. But more than that, we strive to make it easy for our clients to know they can rely on us, so they can concentrate on their main job. That’s what can really make a difference”.

 

Unveiling the new road signs

 

First traffic

 

Early traffic streaming onto the new WestConnex M4-M8 Link

 

St Peters Interchange | 4 years in 60 seconds…