In an Australian first, the RTA will trial air filtration technology in the M5 East westbound tunnel.

Construction of the M5 East air filtration plant at Earlwood is now complete and operations is commencing in March 2010.

The M5 East air filtration plant is part of the RTA’s air quality improvement plan.

This is an Australian first – air filters for a road tunnel. Over an 18 month period the RTA will test the air filtration equipment to see how best to operate this equipment and evaluate its benefits and costs.

The plant will not run 24 hours a day.  The RTA will be testing the equipment at different times of day and in in different environmental and traffic conditions, which will provide information about the best times to operate the filtration plant to achieve best results.   It will take a period of time for testing and configuration of air quality equipment  before accurate and reliable data is produced.   

For further information about the trial click here.