Cross River Rail marks major milestone as construction forges ahead

The development of Queensland’s Cross River Rail is progressing well with the new Albert Street underground station nearly completed. 

The mezzanine level – where people will be taking the final escalators down to the platform – as well as the platform itself are now complete. The mezzanine level is built using 183 pre-cast concrete beams that are about 19 metres wide and weigh up to 70 tonnes while the 220-metre-long platform is made up of 368 pre-cast culverts that weigh 6.5 tonnes each. 

In addition, escalators are set to arrive on site soon for installation and works are underway to prepare for tracks to be laid in the station cavern over the coming months. And while crews are laying the tracks, platform screen doors will also be installed. 

The Albert Street underground station is the first new station to be built in Brisbane’s CBD in over 120 years. 

“Most people going about their business in the CBD would have absolutely no idea about the extraordinary construction effort underway right beneath their feet. 

“The completion of the mezzanine and platform levels below ground mean this new station in the heart of the CBD is another step closer. 

“With tracks, escalators and platform screen doors soon to come, what was once a massive empty cavern below ground is looking more and more like a world-class train station each day. 

“The works beneath our busy CBD streets are seriously impressive, and I thank the more than 545 workers at Cross River Rail’s Albert Street sites for their tremendous efforts in bringing the first station to be built in Brisbane’s CBD in more than 120 years to life. 

“The new Albert Street Station will transform how we get in and out of the CBD,” Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish said. 

Cross River Rail is delivering a new 10.2-kilometre rail line that will serve as a second river crossing at the heart of the region’s rail network. It involves the construction of 5.9-kilometre twin tunnels under the Brisbane River and CBD as well as four new underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street. 

The project also includes the delivery of a new above ground station at Exhibition along with the rebuilding of seven suburban stations between Dutton Park and Salisbury, and the construction of three new stations on the Gold Coast at Pimpama, Merrimac and Hope Island. 

“The Queensland Labor Government promised to build the Cross River Rail and we are delivering it. 

“Cross River Rail is a critical piece of infrastructure that will redefine how people not only travel in Brisbane but live in this amazing city. 

“By 2036 more than 67,000 people will travel through the Albert Street Station each day, as it becomes the main pedestrian feeder point for QUT’s Garden Point campus, the parliamentary precinct, Queen’s Wharf, the upgraded Eagle Street business district and the City Botanic Gardens,” Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said. 

Cross River Rail has 15 separate construction sites where works are well underway. The project is estimated to create 7,700 jobs and provide opportunities for 450 trainees and apprentices during the construction phase. To date, more than 1,500 Queensland companies have already benefitted from the project – either as a supplier or a subcontractor. 

Construction on Cross River Rail is due to be completed in 2025, with commissioning and testing of the new signalling system to follow. Customer services are anticipated to commence in 2026 following all practical safety measures and assessments. 

“Cross River Rail is a transformative project, one that is set to change how we move throughout our great city. 

“Seeing this huge piece of transport infrastructure up close is very exciting and gives a real sense of its magnitude and importance. 

“It will make it easier to get into the city for work or study, or to enjoy shopping and dining options, including at Queen’s Wharf. 

“Albert Street Station will be a new centre point in the middle of the CBD – a vibrant transport hub where people will meet and gather, breathing new life into the heart of the city. 

“As someone who has lived in central Brisbane all my life, I can appreciate the changes this will bring, making the city more accessible for everyone,” Minister for State Development and Infrastructure, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing Grace Grace said. 

Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements; Cross River Rail (1, 2); Roads & Infrastructure Australia; Infrastructure Magazine