Cross River Rail road reopens after 40 Gabba businesses pushed to brink

Three months after a crucial inner-south road was closed, driving 40 small businesses to the brink of ruin, the Cross River Rail authority has finally reopened the link.

Three months after a crucial inner-south road was closed, driving 40 small businesses to the brink of financial ruin, the Cross River Rail authority has finally reopened the link.

Gibbon St in Woolloongabba partially reopened on Saturday, June 24, with vehicles now able to turn left into the street from the Stanley St service road, which will also reopen during the day.

Coles was believed to have been haemorrhaging about $15,000 a week in lost turnover and reduced its staff hours. It declined to comment.

While it had been able to absorb the losses, small businesses from a laser clinic to cafes, restaurants and a flower shop were close to running out of cash reserves by last week.

Woolloongabba Flower Market owner, David Dawes, said that up until Saturday’s announcement they been given only a vague reopening date of “mid 2023’’.

Aerial view of the work site.

They became alarmed when it emerged that contractors had discovered rock while realigning a critical sewer main for the nearby CRR station, which involved micro-tunnelling works.

The streets have been closed several other times in previous years, but the recent closure had a much greater impact.

“Our calls for help fell on deaf ears,’’ Mr Dawes said.

“If it had gone on for a few more months I would say half of the businesses here would have been in jeopardy.

“The cafes are normally really busy on Saturdays. They’ve worked hard to build them up, but now they’ve destroyed their businesses.’’

He said a “good level of normality’’ had now been restored.

The CRR authority said it had been able to partially reopen Gibbon St due to a “change in methodology’’ allowing retrieval of the micro tunnel boring machine.

“(We) would like to thank the local community for their ongoing patience and understanding as we complete this important work,’’ they said in a community notice.

The new road arrangements in place during the day.

“To allow works to progress on the manhole in Gibbon St, a new worksite will be established on the left-hand side of Gibbon St.

“This area of Gibbon Street will continue to be closed during the day (6.30am-6.30pm). “During the day, this area will be used as a laydown area to house plant and equipment required for works.

“At night, the site will be amended, and Gibbon St and the Stanley St service road will be fully closed (6.30pm-6.30am).

“At night, works in the manhole will continue. Work is required to take place at night when sewer levels are low.

The new road arrangements in place at night time.

“After each night shift, the worksite will be adjusted and Gibbon St and the Stanley St service road reopened.

“The Stanley St service road will also reopen with access via Stanley St.

“There will be no access to Stanley Street service road from Gibbon St.

Detours via Hawthorne St and Ipswich Rd will remain in place, with traffic control in place to assist motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

“Access to properties and businesses will be kept open at all times and both the footpath and cycle lanes will be maintained.’’

No signs of activity were seen for the 12 weeks of the road closure.

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Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey (centre) at the CRR Woolloongabba site last year. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Dawes queried whether the works were even legal, as Gibbon St fell outside the Priority Development Area for the multi billion-dollar transport project.

“What’s the authority for them to ride roughshod over a community like this?’’ he said.

“This is not any old road they’ve closed.’’

Oishii Oishii sushi bar is one of the badly-affected businesses.

Local state Greens MP, Amy MacMahon, said small businesses on Gibbon St, including a nail salon, had reported a dramatic drop in customers.

“Many of them are telling us they won’t survive the closure,’’ she said.

“We’ve written to (Transport) Minister Bailey about this but there has been a real lack of communication from the department, CRR and their contractor and the Minister to us, the Gabba Business Association and these particular small businesses.

“The Department needs to compensate these small businesses and workers, who are facing financial losses and disruption because of Cross River Rail’s failures.

“In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, workers and small businesses shouldn’t be the ones who bear the burden of the state government’s lack of proper planning.’’

Amy MacMahon has called on the government to compensate businesses. Picture: Liam Kidston

Originally published as Cross River Rail road reopens after 40 Gabba businesses pushed to brink