The tunnel vision that will transform a city
THE tunnellers building Queensland’s biggest infrastructure project reckon they can bore two 7m-wide, 5.9km-long tunnels deep under the Brisbane River, Kangaroo Point Cliffs and the CBD and come out within the width of a hand of their target at Victoria Park.
The incredible engineering feat will kick off by the end of the year, when two 100m-long tunnel boring machines are lowered into the ground at the Gabba.
They navigate their way underground, a course 45m deep below Brisbane River and skirting below basements, sewers and cables under the CBD.
They expect to travel between 5m and 10m a day, grinding through the same rock as makes up the iconic Kangaroo Point Cliffs on the southside before transitioning into the Neranleigh-Fernvaale beds, like the grey stone seen in Roma St Parklands, on the northside.
The in conjunction with the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority is presenting a series looking at the project and what it will bring to the state.
Construction is pouring $2.8 million a day into the Queensland economy – jumping to $4 million a day as it ramps up even further later this year – and currently employs 1800 people across eight sites.
The 10.2km railway line will run from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills and include 5.9km of twin tunnels under the river and Brisbane CBD and four new, underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street as well as upgrades at other stations.
It is projected to take 47,000 people off roads and offer a turn-up-andgo train timetable that waiting times.
The twin borers are being refurbished at Pinkenba after helping build the Sydney Metro. The 7m boring head carries a series of smaller tungsten discs which grind away the rock as it rotates with the debris carried out behind it.
While the tunnelling is a huge undertaking, CRRDA project manager for tunnels and stations Jeremy Kruger said it would be the massive 200m-long, 17m-high caverns housthe underground stations and
that will be the most impressive for travellers. The caverns are being mined out under the feet of Brisbane city workers, with underground teams removing the soil and spraying concrete on the walls to build the space for the platforms.
Mining work is under way at Roma St while work continues to drop the main shaft down to platform leveling at Albert St ready for mining work to begin.
Exclusive aerial photos released to the show the extent of the massive project that has been described as a heart-bypass operation that will unclog the rail network across the southeast.