<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> Two contracts worth $68m were last week awarded for early works on Queenslandâs first light rail system â the Gold Coast Rapid Transit. </span> <p>Seymour Whyte Constructions and Baulderstone won the tenders to prepare the Gold Coast Rapid Transit corridor for construction.</p><p>Preparations for the roads that the rapid transit will travel on include surveying, road widening, intersection upgrades, landscaping concreting and paving. Services located under the road such as gas, water and telecommunications will also be moved to allow for future repairs and upgrades.</p><p>Minister for infrastructure and transport Anthony Albanese said in 18 months the Federal Government had taken the project from the drawing board to the start of construction.</p><p>“The awarding of these two latest contracts signal it’s now full steam ahead with delivering this long awaited new piece of infrastructure,” Albanese said.</p><p>Gold Coast mayor Ron Clarke said the Gold Coast Rapid Transit was a truly “city changing” project.</p><p>“Once complete, it will transform our public transport network and the transport options available to our residents and visitors,” Clarke said.</p><p>To be delivered in five sections, the final system will connect with the heavy rail north of the city at Helensvale and the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta in the south running along the coastal corridor.</p><p>Stage 1 is a 13km light rail corridor connecting Griffith University and the new Gold Coast University Hospital with Southport, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. It is targeted for completion in 2014.</p><p>The Queensland government has prioritised delivery of the future extension to the Stage One priority route, the 40 kilometre Helensvale to Coolangatta corridor, on the basis of providing value for money while not limiting the scope for future additional stages.</p><p>The future stages Helensvale to Griffith University and Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads require much more detailed planning work before accurate corridor alignments can be determined.</p><p>The interactive tendering process to determine the successful consortium to construct and operate the light rail system is well progressed with submissions expected in late November and a successful consortium to be announced in June 2011. <br /><br /> </p>
