Italian contractor to take on elevated section of the North West Rail Link An artist's impression of the skytrain, part of the North West Rail Link. New pictures of spectacular skytrain section of North West Rail Link Italian company to build four-kilometre segment A CONTRACT to build a spectacular four-kilometre elevated section of Sydney's $8.3 billion North West Rail Link has been awarded to the Italian Impregilo-Salini joint venture. Premier Barry O'Farrell and Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian today announced the $340 million contract for the "skytain," including a new "landmark" bridge over Windsor Road at Rouse Hill. This is the second of three major contracts awarded on Australia's biggest public transport project that includes 36 kilometres of track and eight new railway stations. In June, a $1.15 billion tunnelling contract was awarded to build Australia's longest rail tunnels - 15 kilometre twin tunnels between Bella Vista and Epping. The first of four tunnel boring machines will be in the ground before the end of next year. The rail link is expected to begin operations in 2019. The Windsor and Schofields roads intersection of the $340 million skytrain. "Work is now well underway on Australia's biggest public transport project - and we have now signed the second of three major contracts being awarded for the North West Rail Link," Mr O'Farrell said. The skytrain contract will deliver a 270 metre cable-stayed bridge over Windsor Road at Rouse Hill - an impressive structure set to become a distinctive local landmark. The four kilometre elevated skytrain runs from the end of the rail tunnels at Bella Vista through to Rouse Hill. The skytrain contract will also covers the delivery of other surface construction work including railway embankments and cuttings. Ms Berejiklian said the construction of the new bridge at Rouse Hill means will result in much less impact on motorists using Windsor Road while the North West Rail Link is built. Detail of the skytrain. Under the previous plan, there would have been significant traffic delays and diversions for an extended period as the skytrain viaduct was built above Windsor Road. Ms Berejiklian said the skytrain and new bridge would be the most visible elements of the 36 kilometre long North West Rail Link project and a key priority has been to ensure final designs are integrated with their surroundings. "The skytrain means the rail line will not cut communities in two, instead people and cars will be free to move around and under it," Ms Berejiklian said. The community is already seeing major work going on right across the North West - this will only increase over coming months. An artist's impression of a North West Rail Link station. I urge everyone to be patient as we work as fast as we can to deliver this much needed public transport project, which will change the way of life in Sydney's North West for generations to come. Due to the massive scale of the North West Rail Link - including eight new stations and 4000 commuter car spaces - the project was split into three major contracts to ensure it could be delivered as quickly as possible. This unique three-contract structure means the final skytrain contract price may vary due to ongoing finetuning involving the two other major contracts. Any changes would be covered in the total $8.3 billion total budgeted cost of the project. The third and final major contract - a public-private partnership to build the stations, operate the rail link and deliver Sydney's new generation of single deck trains - will be awarded by the end of next year.