Cross River Rail contractors appointed
4 April 2019Australia – The Queensland Government has announced the major contractors for the Cross River Rail project. The AUD 5.4bn (USD 3.86bn) scheme will see the construction of a 5.9km twin tunnel under the Brisbane River and central business district. Under the current reference design, the diameter is approximately 7m.
The project will be delivered by the following consortia: ‘Pulse’ - the Tunnel, Stations and Development (TSD), a public private partnership; ‘Unity’ - the Rail, Integration and Systems (RIS) alliance; and Hitachi Rail STS - the European Train Control System (ETCS).
The Pulse consortium is led by CIMIC Group companies, Pacific Partnerships, CPB Contractors, and UGL with international partners DIF, BAM and Ghella.
A spokesperson for the client said, “The Tunnel, Stations and Development (TSD) public-private partnership will deliver the underground section of the project, including the tunnel from Dutton Park to Normanby and the construction of four new, state-of-the-art underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street. The TSD will also provide a property development opportunity above Albert Street station.”
Contractors are expected to establish a site presence from late 2019. The construction schedule will be finalised over the coming months, but the project is targeted to enter operation in 2024.
Studies of the region have revealed geology consisting of Neran-Fernvale Beds, Aspley Formation, mudstone, sandstone, Brisbane Tuff and alluvium. A particular challenge identified was uncertainty over the precise depth of the river.
