150,000 hours of Brisbane Metro tunnelling work clocked

Close to 80 per cent of intricate around-the-clock tunnelling work has been completed as part of the Brisbane Metro project, some of it as close as three metres underneath city streets.

A major transport project has reached a milestone completing 80 per cent of intricate tunnelling work as close to three metres underneath one of Brisbane’s oldest streets.

After 150,000 hours of work on the Brisbane Metro Tunnel beneath Adelaide Street, almost 170 metres of excavation work has been completed from North Quay to near City Hall for the 213-metre tunnel.

Brisbane City Council Civic Cabinet Chair for Transport Ryan Murphy said work on Brisbane Metro had advanced underneath the feet of city visitors and workers unaware of the complex, around-the-clock excavation works.

“The next stage in the project will be the monumental breakthrough of the tunnel into the existing King George Square busway,” he said.

“This tunnel is the biggest and most complex piece of infrastructure being delivered for the Brisbane Metro project and is critical in reducing buses clogging the inner-city in peak hour.”

Brisbane Metro tunnel has completed almost 170m of excavation.

Mr Murphy said the Adelaide Street tunnel will provide a dedicated connection for Metro vehicles and buses, rectifying the missing link between the South East Busway and the Inner Northern Busway.

“With two thirds of all public transport trips taken on a bus, the turn-up-and go, fully electric Brisbane Metro is integral to keeping up with our growing city’s need for better public transport,” he said.

The phased introduction of Brisbane Metro services will start in 2024 running initially through the existing Queen Street station before transitioning to the Adelaide Street tunnel once it’s completed in 2025.

Mr Murphy said once the excavation was complete 16 Olympic swimming pools worth of soil and rock would have been removed.

“A highly technical construction technique is being used to minimise disruption to the public, so work can continue 24/7 underground,” he said.

Steve Hammer General Manager Major project (BCC), Jose Santonja Project director Brisbane Move and Councillor Ryan Murphy Chair of Transport BCC in the tunnel.

“Once excavation works are complete the next stage of the tunnel will be concreting the walls, installing the busway pavement, and installing the electricals.”

“This tunnel will be a game changer for Brisbane’s public transport network, allowing people to travel in and out of our city more efficiently.

Mr Murphy also detailed above-ground improvements to Adelaide St, with more than 800m of streetscape enhancement to boost amenity for pedestrians and businesses.

“These works represent an exciting new chapter for Adelaide St as we continue to see more locals and tourists visit our great city.”

Opposition leader and Councillor for Deagon Ward, Mr Jared Cassidy, said the progress was not worth celebrating as the Metro project “is almost $1 billion over budget, more than a year late and is delivering less than what was originally promised”.

“Perhaps the people of Brisbane aren’t aware this work is happening because it’s so underwhelming, where’s the Paris-style underground the LNP announced?” he said.

“Instead, a 200-metre tunnel is being built at a snail’s pace, in the same amount of time, there’s been almost 9km of tunnelling completed for Cross River Rail.

“To us, it doesn’t feel like there’s much to celebrate. Ratepayers deserve better.”