What is Cross River Rail? When will it be finished and why do we need it?

Queensland's economy has been brought to its knees by the coronavirus outbreak, with some 130,000 of workers out of a job or crippled by reduced hours.

As the state is plunged into financial uncertainty and many projects are put on hold, some are bucking the trend and helping to keep the state economy's head above water.

The state government says Cross River Rail, its signature infrastructure project, is pumping a critical $2.8 million into Queensland's economy every day, as it weathers the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

Cross River Rail Minister Kate Jones said with fewer people on public transport during the pandemic, demolition could be done faster and it was easier to plan track works.

"While so many industries have had to scale back or shut down, throughout the nation, construction projects of large scale are forging ahead," she said.

"Projects like Cross River Rail enable us not only to continue to support thousands of workers but also to fast-track recovery in the next stage of this crisis.

"While there is less traffic on the roads, we’re taking full advantage to get a jump on construction."

Kate Jones (centre) took over as Cross River Rail Minister last year. 

The underground railway has been more than 10 years in the making, so what exactly is it? How will it make our lives easier? And when will it actually happen?

What is Cross River Rail?

Cross River Rail is the largest infrastructure project in Queensland’s history, will cost about $5.4 billion to build and will be finished in 2024.

It will be a 10.2-kilometre stretch of rail track stretching from Dutton Park, near the Princess Alexandra Hospital, to Bowen Hills on the edge of the CBD.

It will include six kilometres of twin tunnels running under the Brisbane River and CBD.

The track is set to run underneath an upgraded Albert Street station.

As south-east Queensland's population balloons, Brisbane's transport network is coming under increasing pressure.

Driven by population and employment growth in the region, demand for passenger rail services is forecast to almost triple by 2036.

The government says it will deliver an extra 18,000 seats on Brisbane trains, take 14,000 drivers off the roads, cut travel time on south-east Queensland train lines and create more than 7700 jobs.

Construction on the project will more than double in size during 2020 and worksites are already up and running at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street.

The first part of tunnelling on the project is expected to start in August, from Woolloongabba towards Boggo Road.

What infrastructure are we gaining and losing?

Cross River Rail will deliver four new underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street.

It will also upgrade eight above-ground stations at Salisbury, Rocklea, Moorooka, Yeerongpilly, Yeronga, Fairfield, Dutton Park and Exhibition.

The new Roma Street station (artist's impression) will be built where the existing transit centre stands.

Described by Transport Minister Mark Bailey as "one of the ugliest buildings in Brisbane", the run-down Brisbane Transit Centre on Roma Street will be demolished in coming weeks, to make way for a new interchange.

Commuters will catch buses and trains from a new underground station at Roma Street.

Is Brisbane getting a new stadium?

In December, the decision was made to go ahead with the 17,000-seat Brisbane Live entertainment precinct above Roma Street railyards.

Concept designs for the proposed 17,000-seat Brisbane Live arena at Roma Street. Artists impressions supplied by the Queensland government on December 16, 2019.

The idea to build the arena was formed in 2007 but kicked off only when it became part of the Cross River Rail project after years of discussion between AEG Ogden and the government.

Brisbane Live will deliver 450 jobs each year during construction, with 1000 jobs in the peak year, and 600 ongoing jobs when operational.

Concept designs for the Brisbane Live arena.Credit: Queensland government

It is understood that ASM Global and Live Nation will both bid for the right to build and manage the new entertainment arena complex, with a final decision to be made on the winning company by end of the year.

How is it different from Brisbane Metro?

Ah yes, the Brisbane Metro, another infrastructure project that, despite its name, has nothing to do with trains.

The Metro is Brisbane City Council's flagship project and it will take hundreds of the council's yellow-and-blue buses off the road and replace them with mega-buses.

While the Metro is separate from the state government's Cross River Rail project, the two will share interchanges at Boggo Road and Roma Street.

Brisbane Metro services are expected to start running by the end of 2023, a year before Cross River Rail.

Controversy

Like any major infrastructure project, the Cross River Rail has not been immune from controversy and scandal.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad had responsibility for the project taken off her last year after she failed to declare the purchase of a Woolloongabba house by her family's trust.

Ms Trad had bought a $695,000 home along the route of Cross River Rail, a project for which she had ministerial responsibility.

While Ms Trad was cleared of corrupt conduct, the Crime and Corruption Commission recommended major law changes including prison time for ministers who fail to declare a conflict of interest.

The laws were set to pass Parliament earlier this year, but the coronavirus outbreak has put a hold on most of the laws before legislators.

The Woolloongabba house bought by Jackie Trad's family trust that has since been sold.

Tourism Minister Kate Jones was put in charge of the Cross River Rail and decided to sack the 10-member board overseeing the project.

Ms Jones justified the move by saying she wanted more control and oversight ahead of the construction phase.

Hundreds of construction workers marched to Parliament House last November over the government's handing of the rail project, particularly how contracts for the project have been awarded.

The powerful CFMEU vowed to pull support for the Labor government if issues with the project were not addressed.

However, a spokesman for the union told Brisbane Times its relationship with the government had improved since November, and things on the project were mostly running smoothly.

A sea of high-vis descended on Queensland Parliament House protesting Cross River Rail. Credit: Lydia Lynch

Workers have been staggering their shift starts and lunch breaks to try to adhere to physical distancing rules.

What happens if LNP win the October election?

On October 31 Queensland residents will vote in the state election.

Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander says the LNP will not scrap the project if they form government.

"The LNP won’t be ripping up contracts - we want to get Cross River Rail back on track," he said.

While Cross River Rail Minister Jones has insisted the project is running on budget, Mr Mander says the government could not be trusted.

"Now more than ever we need a government that will build a stronger economy to create more local jobs," he said.

"Queenslanders can't trust Labor to deliver infrastructure projects on time or on budget."

The state government will shoulder the entire cost of the rail project after the Coalition failed to provide any help in the federal budget.

Federal Labor promised to give $2.24 billion if they won government, but that went up in smoke with their epic defeat at the polls last year.