Gold Coast light rail: Top ten projects to be fast-tracked for 2032 Olympic Games

Billions of dollars of infrastructure including the Gold Coast light rail and east-west connections will be fast-tracked to be ready for the 2032 Olympic Games. SEE THE TOP 10 PROJECTS

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BILLIONS of dollars of infrastructure will be fast-tracked to be ready for the 2032 Olympic Games.

City leaders are drawing up a laundry list of major projects ranging from extension of the light rail to bridges and tourism products they want to fund and build within a decade.

Mayor Tom Tate has cited the transport infrastructure as well as a Hinterland cableway as on his shortlist and is urging for a dramatic “acceleration” of the city’s agenda to ensure everything is built for the Games.

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Artist impression of Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 between Burleigh Heads and Tugun

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Among the big tickets items which are being named as priorities by the council are light rail Stage 4 from Burleigh Heads to the border, the extension of the heavy rail from Varsity Lakes to Gold Coast Airport and east-west electric buses which will integrate with the tram network connecting it with Cbus and Metricon stadiums and Robina and Nerang respectively.

Urbis director Matthew Schneider said it was critical for the Gold Coast to make the most of the Games by pursuing a bold infrastructure agenda.

“The true value in an Olympic and Paralympic Games is the opportunity it gives us to come together and unite around a shared vision for the future generations of southeast Queensland,” he said.

“To make the most of this transformational opportunity, we must prioritise delivering both hard and soft infrastructure that connects our cities, builds on our strengths and strengthens both productivity and our lifestyle across the region.”

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Matthew Schneider. Picture Glenn Hampson

He named light rail stages 3-4 and east-west mass transit links as the highest priority as well as the expansion of HOTA and the Gold Coast Airport.

“It needs to be the next generation of community infrastructure that can support sport and major events, like a boutique stadium at Southport Sharks that can support sport at all levels, live music, major events and positioning the city as Australia’s home of women’s sport,” he said.

Artist impression and maps of the proposed Gold Coast electric bus system, known as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)

Almost all major infrastructure projects needed for the Games will need either state or federal funding to become a reality. The Council made no major funding commitments in its 2021-22 budget in June, instead holding back millions in its strategic reserve funds ready to be diverted to Games projects.

Heavy rail to the airport has been named a priority project.

Cr Tate said: “This is the opportunity of our lifetime - we did it every well in broadening our economy for the 2018 Games and attracting new business and legacy infrastructure.”

“This will be on a much bigger scale – connectivity between Brisbane and the Gold Coast will be immense, whether by very fast trance, upgrade of the heavy rail it is a matter of discussions of the highest order,” he said.

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Originally published as Gold Coast light rail: Top ten projects to be fast-tracked for 2032 Olympic Games