Brisbane 2032 infrastructure needs to begin now, experts say, to avoid cost blowouts and failure

Game-changing road and rail projects that will connect southeast Queensland’s cities better and faster than ever before are needed before 2032, but experts warn there is one key action that must be taken now or they risk devastation.

A central infrastructure authority to co-ordinate major projects before the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games has emerged as a key priority to ensure no more time is wasted.

Game-changing road and rail projects which will connect southeast Queensland’s cities better and faster than ever before are needed before Brisbane hits the world stage in 2032, but experts warn work needs to start now to avoid devastating cost blowouts and labour shortages.

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There are calls for a central infrastructure authority to co-ordinate the major projects before the Games, and for a staggered pipeline of works to be planned out to prevent a bottleneck in the final four years leading to the event.

The first year since the Games were announced has already been “wasted” without significant progress, a major construction industry body warned, but there is still time to get moving.

Cross River Rail, the second M1, faster Gold Coast Rail, a Sunshine Coast Rail extension, passenger rail to Toowoomba, the Brisbane Metro and light or heavy rail extensions to Coolangatta airport have all been identified as key projects, not just for the Games but for the region’s burgeoning population.

An artist's impression of light rail transit, which is one of the options presented in Sunshine Coast Council's Draft Options Analysis for a mass transit plan.

Queensland Major Contractors Association CEO Andrew Chapman said preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games would see legacy infrastructure built to help with regional and economic growth for the next 20 years, change the way people move around the region and connect the major centres.

But he said a central infrastructure authority was needed to co-ordinate the build and there was no more time to waste in getting started.

Artist impression of Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 between Tugun and Coolangatta, including Gold Coast Airport and the NSW border. Picture: Department of Transport and Main Roads.

“The problem is, the first year since we were announced as the Olympic city we’ve wasted,” he said.

“You can’t lump it in the last four years.

“If you start flooding the market with projects all on top of each other at once, you will struggle with labour, as we’ll be competing with each other, supply costs will go through the roof.

“We need to start now, in 2023, 2024, building these projects.”

Cross River Rail will be a reality in two years, removing some capacity constraints on the volume of trains able to get into and out of the CBD in peak times, while the Brisbane Metro is also not far from delivery.

The Coomera Connector, known as the second M1, will be vital in alleviating the gridlock on the highway between the Gold Coast and Brisbane, but it will face tight deadlines if it is to be completed prior to the Games.

Construction has already begun on Stage 1 north, from Shipper Drive, Coomera to Helensvale Road, Helensvale, and there is progress for stage 1 central and south, running from Helensvale to the Smith Street Motorway and down to Nerang.

But remains a lot of work on the future stages covering 29km from Loganholme to Coomera, with only $22 million allocated so far to cover a business case and environmental approvals which are not expected to be finalised until late 2023.

Artist impression of the Coomera Connector (Second M1) on the Gold Coast.

Infrastructure Association Queensland CEO Louise Van Ristell said the Coomera Connector was a vital link and stage 1 of the project alone would remove 50,000 cars from the road.

“We need to have a road system and light rail system to help capacity in these areas to get from point A to point B in a safe and efficient manner,” she said.

Follow the campaign in The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail over the next month, and join us at the Future Brisbane lunch event at Howard Smith Wharves on December 2.