Construction on Brisbane City Council’s $1.2 billion electric mass transit system is about to permanently alter road and bus access through parts of the CBD.
Key points:
- Work will disrupt public transport services through the city centre
- South-bound traffic will no longer be able to drive down North Quay
- Parking spaces and pedestrian routes will also be affected
Brisbane Metro is set to begin construction on a 225-metre mined tunnel from the top of Adelaide Street linking to King George Square station.
The high-frequency service busway will stretch 21 kilometres between Eight Mile Plains and Roma Street Station, the Royal Brisbane and Womens’ Hospital, and the University of Queensland in St Lucia, with 18 stations.
Five years after the project was announced, major construction in the CBD has now begun, focused around North Quay, William Street, George Street and Adelaide Street.
From September 20, access through North Quay will permanently change for drivers, pedestrians and public transport users.
South-bound vehicles along North Quay will be permanently diverted down Adelaide Street and will only be able to turn left onto George Street.
Only buses and authorised traffic will be allowed to continue eastbound through Adelaide Street, as part of a council plan to convert the busy street into a pedestrian and public transport boulevard.
A pedestrian crossing across Adelaide Street to North Quay will also permanently close and about 40 motorcycle parks will be temporarily removed until mid-2022 on North Quay.
One North Quay bus stop will permanently close and multiple buses will redirected to other stops through the CBD.
“Traffic management will be in place to guide motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and commuters,” the council website said.
Full details on bus stop closures are available on the council and TransLink websites.
Work will also begin on an electric bus charging station on the inner northern busway on Countess Street for the 60 electric buses that will operate the Metro.
Supplied: Brisbane City Council
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City-wide site investigations
The consortium contracted to deliver Brisbane Metro, Brisbane Move, will also begin site investigations around the city.
The council warned for the rest of the year some detours, traffic changes and temporary bus stop alterations may be experienced at:
- The CBD
- Victoria Bridge
- South Brisbane
- The inner northern busway at Herston
- UQ Lakes station in St Lucia
- Petrie Terrace
Supplied: Brisbane City Council
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Earlier this year the launch date for Brisbane Metro was delayed from 2023 with Transport chair Ryan Murphy saying a “soft” launch would see the buses operate before the full project was complete.
Construction on the Adelaide Street tunnel is not expected to be completed until mid-2024.
The long-running project, first touted by former lord mayor Graham Quirk in 2016, saw a cost blowout last year from $944 million to $1.2b as the council decided to purchase electric vehicles from overseas.
Victoria Bridge was closed to general traffic at the start of the year to make way for Metro and dedicated active transport links.
