Construction towards the Cross River Rail project will commence at 11 new sites, adding to the seven currently active sites.
“Already we’ve got 1000 workers on Cross River Rail sites across the city. With new sites set to open, we’re looking at employing an extra 1500 workers this year,” Cross River Rail Minister Kate Jones said on Thursday.
Construction of Cross River Rail will create 7700 jobs in total throughout South East Queensland and opportunities will increase for trainees, apprentices, and local companies looking to sub-contract, according to the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority’s CEO Graeme Newton.
Newton said that 2020 will see work on the project ramping up, and passing critical milestones.
“2019 was a big year for the project. We appointed our major contractors, established multiple new worksites, revealed the location of three new Gold Coast stations and launched a Precincts Delivery Strategy that will be the catalyst for up to $20 billion of investment,” Newton said.
“But 2020 is where things really kick up a gear. We’ll complete demolition at Roma St and Albert St, start tunnelling from Woolloongabba to Boggo Road, start work on station upgrades and the new Gold Coast stations and we will have workers live on the project at as many as 18 sites across the city.”
Crews are progressing with the installation of 280 concrete piles for the station box at Woolloongabba, and work is also underway towards piloting the European Train Control System on the Shorncliffe line, the authority says the system will make the network safer and more efficient.
Extensive work has begun in the rail corridor between Roma Street and Exhibition stations where the northern tunnel portal will be constructed. Meanwhile, work is already underway towards the project’s southern tunnel portal south of Boggo Road.
