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“So 46,000 less people on the roads, 46,000 less people in cars – what Cross River Rail is delivering is unlocking the heart of our network,” Transport Minister Bart Mellish said.
Mellish said the new underground lines were on track to open in 2026 – 19 years after his predecessor, Paul Lucas, first made plans for the project public.
The platform gates will open in line with train doors, allowing train passengers safe entry and exit.Credit: CRR Delivery Authority
A change to an LNP government, and an immediate return to Labor at the next election, kicked the can down the tracks until the Palaszczuk government finally began the construction work in 2017.
“I can’t wait,” Mellish said of the 2026 opening.
“This will be an absolutely transformational project across south-east Queensland, both for the rail network for the public transport and also reducing congestion on our roads in terms.”
With a $1 billion budget blow-out announced for the Coomera Connector on Tuesday, Mellish said there had been no late surge in the Cross River Rail’s $6.3 billion price-tag.
“As I understand it, the funds that are outlined in the budget process in the last budget are the costs,” he said.
Now and then… Escalators at the Roma Street underground station.Credit: CRR Delivery Authority
The Roma Street station will service people attending events at Suncorp Stadium and the new Brisbane Arena, to be built about 500 metres away from its originally planned location above the railway tracks.
Cross River Rail was also cited as a major conduit to what was going to be Brisbane’s Olympic stadium – the Gabba.
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Infrastructure Minister Grace Grace dismissed suggestions Cross River Rail’s appeal had been diminished as a result of the Miles government’s decision to abandon its $2.7 billion plan to rebuild the Gabba.
“Infrastructure is infrastructure,” she said.
“... The Gabba will be there for many years to come and the new Cross River Rail Station at the Gabba will service all of those patrons that will be visiting the Gabba.
“For the Games we’ll be investing in the Gabba, to make sure that we secure its life further into the future.
“No infrastructure like this goes to waste.”
Last week, Grace told the ABC “someone in the future or whatever post-2032” would have to deal with rebuilding the Gabba, the condition of which was heavily criticised in the Quirk review of Olympic venues.