Demolition, tunnelling and new stations are on track on the government's $6 billion-plus Cross River Rail project as major contractors pass critical project milestones this year.
Eleven new worksites will be opened and 1,500 workers employed as the project doubles in size with demolition at Roma Street and Albert Street, tunnelling starting between Woolloongabba to Boggo Road, station upgrades and work starting on new Gold Coast stations.
There will be three major infrastructure works taken out on the Cross River Rail by the state government and private sector.
The Pulse consortium will deliver the tunnel, stations and development—a partnership led by CIMIC Group companies, Pacific Partnerships, CPB Contractors, and UGL with international partners DIF, BAM and Ghella.
Unity Alliance will deliver the rail, integration and systems bringing together CPB Contractors, UGL, AECOM and Jacobs, and partners Hassell, RCS Australia, Acmena, Martinus Rail and Wired Overhead Solutions.
Work has begun on the new European train control system set to be piloted on the Shorncliffe line to be delivered by Hitachi Rail STS.
Cross River Rail minister Kate Jones said they already had 1,000 workers and seven worksites open around Brisbane.
“A worksite has now been established at Boggo Road, the existing site at Woolloongabba is already a hive of activity, demolition at Albert Street in the heart of the CBD is well advanced and work at Roma Street is well and truly under way,” she said.
“Regular rail users may have noticed extensive work has also begun in our rail corridors, particularly near Normanby where the project’s northern tunnel portal will be built.”
Work is also expected to start at the RNA Showgrounds Exhibition station, at stations from Salisbury through to Fairfield, on the Gold Coast where new stations are being created at Pimpama, Helensvale North and Merrimac and at the project’s Southern tunnel portal, south of Boggo Road.
This follows a busy year for the project which saw major contractors, established multiple new worksites, revealed the location of three new Gold Coast stations and launched a Precincts Delivery Strategy.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story referred to a $20 billion figure for the Cross River Rail. This refers to the estimated gross development value of the five stations. The government has committed $5.4 billion to the project, with an added $1.45 billion in private partnerships.
