cross river rail Archives - Fortitude Valley News

Cross River Rail Debate Intensifies Amid Cost and Timeline Dispute

Initially promised to open in 2026 with a $5.4 billion budget, the Cross River Rail project now faces allegations of cost blowouts to $17 billion and a delayed operational date (2029), causing heated debates and conflicting explanations.

Conflicting Timelines and Costs

Current officials have stated that the Cross River Rail will not be ready for passengers until 2029 due to delays in construction, equipment installation, and an extensive certification process by the National Rail Safety Regulator. However, the regulator disputed this claim, clarifying that project managers are responsible for certification timelines and are limited to assessing submitted safety evidence.

Officials further attributed part of the delay to construction issues, including stalled work on fire and signalling systems and delays in building new trains. However, the previous administration has countered these claims, maintaining that the project remains on track for a 2026 opening.

Opposition spokesman Bart Mellish stated that assertions of a 2029 completion date are misleading and that the government should provide evidence for its revised timeline.

Breakdown of Costs

According to the LNP, the tunnel is expected to cost $10.5 billion, including 25 years of maintenance. An additional $5 billion has been attributed to integration works, signalling upgrades, stabling yards, and replacement bus services, while $1.5 billion is linked to contractor claims and cost overruns. This brings the total to $17 billion, a figure far exceeding the original budget of $5.4 billion set by the previous administration.

Labor has condemned this accounting approach, claiming that factoring in long-term maintenance costs and irrelevant expenditures, like buses for South East Queensland, exaggerates the project’s overall cost. Mr Mellish suggested that no government or business includes the full lifecycle costs of an asset in its construction budget.

The discussion around the project has centred on differing interpretations of the costs and timeline. Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg indicated that $5 billion in additional costs, including integration works, maintenance equipment, and buses, were identified after the change in government. The opposition has questioned the inclusion of these expenses in the project’s total cost and has expressed concern over the revised 2029 timeline, asserting that a 2026 opening is still feasible.

Impact on Infrastructure and Public Services

Cross River Rail project delays have broader implications for Brisbane’s transport network. Experts have warned that pushing back the opening could exacerbate congestion, particularly at choke points such as the Inner City Bypass. Plans to improve the Beenleigh and Cleveland rail lines may also be delayed.

Despite the controversies, once operational, the project is expected to provide significant benefits, including faster travel times for commuters and university students.

The Cross River Rail Authority, tasked with managing the project, referred all queries about costs and timelines to the Transport Minister’s office.

Published 12-Dec-2024

Major Flooding at Cross River Rail Site in Roma St After 130-Year-Old Water Main Accidentally Drilled Into

The Cross River Rail site at Roma St was temporarily flooded after crews accidentally drilled into a 130-year-old water main, causing a significant water leak.

Footage has surfaced showing the Roma St construction site flooded after the water main burst, leaving the area looking more like a water park than a rail site. The incident occurred during ongoing works at the Cross River Rail project, with workers conducting a Dial Before You Dig assessment before drilling, yet the old main was not detected.

The leak turned the area into a temporary pool, much to the surprise of local residents and passersby. In the video, one person comments humorously on the situation, describing the scene as a “bit of mischief.”

Response and Rectification

Urban Utilities responded immediately to the situation, dispatching a crew to shut off the water supply as quickly as possible. Despite the large amount of water that flooded the site, there were no interruptions to water services for nearby residents or businesses, nor were there any traffic disruptions reported.

By Monday evening, 23 Sept 2024, Cross River Rail authorities confirmed that dewatering activities had been completed at the site. A spokesperson from the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority stated that safety and environmental management were being handled in accordance with strict guidelines. Rectification works are ongoing to repair the damaged water main and ensure the site continues to meet environmental standards.

Cross River Rail Roma St — *Photo Credit: Cross River Rail*

Impact on the Project

Despite the disruption caused by the incident, the wider worksite at Roma St remains operational. The Cross River Rail project continues without significant delay, with teams ensuring that the repairs and environmental precautions are in place to prevent any future issues.

Urban Utilities has expressed satisfaction with how the contractor handled the clean-up and repair process. The quick action of both the Urban Utilities team and Cross River Rail contractors ensured minimal impact on the community and the ongoing project.

Published 25-Sept-2024

New Inner City Brisbane Train Station Needs a Name

Queenslanders are invited to participate in naming the first new train station in Brisbane CBD in over a century. Situated on Albert Street, the new train station is part of the transformative Cross River Rail project.

The Albert Street facility promises enhanced rail travel across South East Queensland and improved access to the southern CBD, setting a significant milestone in Brisbane’s public transport development.

Historically, public transport stations have been named after their geographic locations, such as nearby suburbs, significant streets, or landmarks, ensuring ease of navigation for users.

Albert Street New Station — *Photo Credit: Cross River Rail*

Four proposed names have, so far, been proposed: “Albert Street,” “Brisbane City,” “City Botanic Gardens,” and “Frog’s Hollow,” each reflecting distinctive aspects of the local area. However, residents are also encouraged to propose alternative names, reflecting a broad opportunity for public engagement.

The naming of the station holds cultural importance as well, with the potential name “Frog’s Hollow” reflecting an historical Brisbane neighbourhood known for its natural low-lying geography. This option, among others, illustrates the effort to tie the new station to Brisbane’s rich historical tapestry. The discussion also includes names significant to the Aboriginal community, such as “Meanjin,” which denotes the central Brisbane area in the Turrbal language, highlighting a growing recognition of indigenous heritage and its integral role in public spaces.

The selection of the station’s name is crucial for user orientation and the station’s integration into the existing Translink network. The aim is to select a name that resonates with both historical significance and practical orientation. A name accurately reflecting the station’s location can facilitate transit use and community connection.

Residents wishing to influence the station name are encouraged to visit the Cross River Rail project’s website and submit their feedback or suggest new names.

SUGGEST A NAME

Following the public consultation, the collected feedback will be reviewed, and a recommendation will be made to the minister, who will make the final decision on the station’s name.

Published 10-Sept-2024

Brisbane Digs Deep for Cross River Rail

The first road header has started tunnelling at Roma Street, the site of one of Brisbane’s new train stations heralding the start of Queensland’s largest job-creating infrastructure project, the Cross River Rail.

Roma Street is where a large station cavern is also being excavated as part of Brisbane’s new underground line. It will have a cavern that’s 280 metres long and 27 metres below ground.

Weighing 115 tonnes, the 22-metre long roadheader arrived in Roma St in pieces and were assembled at the bottom of the 18-metre-deep shaft. If all goes to plan, it will excavate approximately 50 tonnes of rock and soil per hour.

A second roadheader will begin work at Roma Street, tentatively before the end of the third quarter.

“Above ground demolition has also been underway for several months at the site of the new station – but today is a huge milestone for this project as we start tunnelling for the first time,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“This is just the beginning of the underground works, with 5.9 kilometres of twin tunnels and four underground stations to be excavated in total,” she said.

The Roma street railway station will have two train platforms.

Demolition

The tunnelling site is covered by an enormous “acoustic shed.” The shy will contain dust and construction debris, as well as minimise noise.

Meanwhile, the demolition of the nearby Hotel Jen building will continue to progress at the present pace of one floor per week. Once this is done, the massively unpopular Brisbane Transit Centre will be next up for demolition.

Creating Jobs and Solving Congestion

She went on to explain that boosting employment and busting congestion are the twin focus of the project. The Cross River Rail is expected to create more than 7,000 local jobs, a massive boost to the local economy, particularly in light of the employment challenges experienced by various sectors during the coronavirus months.

“We’re not only building a new train station and digging tunnels. Cross River Rail will also generate billions of dollars of new private sector investment in the city as we redesign the precinct around the new station,” Ms Jones added.

“That means more jobs and more economic stability at a vital time for Queensland,” she said.

Construction, according to Treasurer and Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Cameron Dick, is one of a number of traditional industries that had helped insulate Queensland from the economic fallout brought about by COVID-19.

“So many Queensland families and businesses have been hit hard by something they could not have imagined just a few months ago,” the Treasurer said.

“But some of Queensland’s traditional strengths like mining, agriculture and construction have weathered the storm better than other areas. As our economy reopens, we will be supporting jobs in these sectors, as well as jobs in new and emerging industries,” he added.

State Development Minister Kate Jones agrees. “Coronavirus has had a huge impact on our economy. But we won’t let it derail Queensland’s largest infrastructure project,” she said.

Bus Station Closure

In other news, the Roma Street busway station will be closed for 15 weeks, beginning on the 18th of May.

You may be able to catch your bus at a different stop or station. Use the TransLink journey planner to find your alternatives.