Despite not being visible to pedestrians passing just outside, a giant 20-metre-deep cavern has now been excavated deep underground at Cross River Rail’s Roma Street worksite, marking the next exciting phase of construction on the transformational rail project.
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the station box would house the future Cross River Rail Roma Street station entrance, which will rise 27 metres above the new underground rail level once completed.
“In 2021, we capped off Cross River Rail’s year of tunnelling when two massive Tunnel Boring Machines completed the project’s twin tunnels beneath the Brisbane River and CBD,” Mr Bailey said.
“2022 will be our year for station build and tunnel fit out, as Cross River Rail’s four underground stations, as well as multiple new above ground stations including a new station at Exhibition, really start to take shape.
“And nowhere is that more evident than at Roma Street, where you not only get an epic sense of the main station but also the network of tunnels that will connect above ground rail, bus and coach services with the new high-capacity underground rail line.
“This mega-project is a strong example of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to delivering quality transport infrastructure for the people of Queensland, with $5.4 billion invested by our government to get this project done right.”
Mr Bailey said the impact of the new station on how people will travel to, from and within Brisbane in the future was a genuine game changer
“Over 45,000 people are expected to use the new station every week-day and the new Roma Street station will not only become our state’s single most significant transport interchange, it will also be an integral part of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Mr Bailey pointed also to the crucial role that construction of Cross River rail is playing in supporting our economy in the meantime, with more than 200 people currently working on the Cross River Rail’s Roma Street site and over 2,000 working on the project in total
“Cross River Rail is injecting more than $4 million a day into the economy and providing both job and training opportunities at a time when they’re needed most,” he said.
“Crews have done a terrific job keeping the project on schedule throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with on-site contractors continuing to implement a wide variety of social distancing and other protective measures to main safe operations across the project’s multiple construction sites.”
“Work will now continue in the station box to install drainage and commence permanent structural works, including formwork, reinforcing and concrete pours.”
Roma Street station fast facts:
- The 20-metre-deep Roma Street station box is fully excavated, with 38,382 cubic metres of spoil removed.
- The station box will house the main station, which will rise 27 metres above the new underground rail line level, and the lift and escalators that will transport people to platform level 27 metres below ground.
- The rest of the station is also taking shape, including the 280-metre long station cavern up to 33 metres below ground, the 29-metre deep services shaft, and the connecting tunnels and adits.
- More than 200 people are working on the Roma Street site, while more than 20 people have completed an apprenticeship or traineeship on site to date.
- The new Roma Street station platforms will be about 220-metres long and set up to 27 metres below the ground.
- More than 46,000 people are expected to use the new Roma Street station each weekday by 2036.
