Members of the community got a unique perspective on Queensland’s largest current infrastructure project over the weekend, as they descended 30 metres below ground to walk through one of the Cross River Rail project’s twin tunnels.
Setting off from the 405 metre long northern portal, the participants walked in as far as the tunnel’s second cross passage. This is one of several short tunnels that connects the two parallel train tunnels every 240 metres. The section of the tunnel being visited during the walk was excavated by a 165-metre-long Tunnel Boring Machine, which weighed 1350 tonnes.
Cross River Rail currently comprises 15 active work sites, and when completed will provide a 10.2km rail line from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills, which incorporates 5.9 kilometres of twin tunnels under the Brisbane River and Brisbane CBD.
There will be four new underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street, along with upgrades to eight above ground stations.