Brisbane CRR (Essay Sample)

Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u 1.0Introduction PAGEREF _Toc465607388 \h 32.0Need for the Initiative PAGEREF _Toc465607389 \h 33.0 Initiative Life Cycle PAGEREF _Toc465607390 \h 43.1Project position on Project timeline PAGEREF _Toc465607391 \h 53.2Initial Planning PAGEREF _Toc465607392 \h 53.3Procurement PAGEREF _Toc465607393 \h 73.4Engineering Design PAGEREF _Toc465607394 \h 83.4.1Location of Stations PAGEREF _Toc465607395 \h 83.4.2Design of Stations PAGEREF _Toc465607396 \h 103.4.3Electrical and Mechanical Services PAGEREF _Toc465607397 \h 10 3.4.4 Fire and Life Safety PAGEREF _Toc465607398 \h 11 3.4.5 Rail Systems PAGEREF _Toc465607399 \h 124.0Civil Engineering System PAGEREF _Toc465607400 \h 134.1Construction PAGEREF _Toc465607401 \h 135.0 Stewardship of the Initiative PAGEREF _Toc465607402 \h 146.0Values Regarding the Initiative PAGEREF _Toc465607403 \h 146.1Economic PAGEREF _Toc465607404 \h 146.2Social PAGEREF _Toc465607405 \h 156.3Political PAGEREF _Toc465607406 \h 156.4Sustainability PAGEREF _Toc465607407 \h 157.0Online discussion Forum Review PAGEREF _Toc465607408 \h 168.0Conclusion and Informed position PAGEREF _Toc465607409 \h 168.1Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc465607410 \h 168.2Informed position PAGEREF _Toc465607411 \h 169.0REFERENCES PAGEREF _Toc465607412 \h 17 List of Figures TOC \h \z \c "Figure" Figure 1 CRR in High Priority Initiatives Source: (Infrastructure Priority List, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607525 \h 5 Figure 2 Project position on project timeline Source: (CrossRiverRail, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607526 \h 6 Figure 3 the proposed Brisbane CRR projected on satellite map Source: (Cross River Rail Project Business Case, 2016) PAGEREF _Toc465607527 \h 7 Figure 4 Brisbane CRR overlay on aerial photo Source: (Brisbane CRR, 2016) PAGEREF _Toc465607528 \h 8 Figure 5 ETCS Level 2, the European Traffic Control System Source: (European Train Control System (ETCS), 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607529 \h 9 Figure 6 Station Locations Source: (Hassel, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607530 \h 10 Figure 7 Access to major events Source: (Hassel, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607531 \h 11 Figure 8 Station Entrance Design Source: (Hassel, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607532 \h 12 Figure 9 Electrical and Mechanical Services Source: (Hassel, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607533 \h 13 Figure 10 Fire and Life Safety Considerations Source: (Hassel, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607534 \h 14 Figure 11 Rail System Source: (Hassel, 2016) PAGEREF _Toc465607535 \h 14 Figure 12 Underground Elements Source: (Hassel, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607536 \h 15 Figure 13 Elements continued Source: (Hassel, 2016). PAGEREF _Toc465607537 \h 16 List of Tables Table 1: Brisbane CRR as a Business case, Source: CITATION Cro16 \l 1033 (Cross River Rail Project Business Case, 2016)…………………………………………………………………………………………….6 Abstract The planned Brisbane Cross River Rail Project currently at the Business Stage and as per plan stretching over 10.2 km from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills and having a 5.9 km tunnel under the Brisbane River and CBD is presented here with details. Project’s necessity, its planning, the technology involved and other political and non-political issues are discussed. The current situation regarding the project’s acceptance by the National and Queensland’s governments is described and the role of the new Brisbane City Council is also highlighted. In short, all necessary details regarding this project at the current stage are presented. The Project’s impact whether economic, social and political are highlighted and the project’s sustainability is discussed as well. Efforts put in by Jackie Trad, the proponent of this project and now the Deputy Premier of Queensland Government are highlighted as well. Moreover, the project’s impact on economic growth and tourism is highlighted for the entire South East Queensland region. Towards the end, its current position and a bit of tussle between the Government of Queensland and the Brisbane City Council is discussed as well and so is the intermediate position taken by the current Prime Minister. 1 Introduction The population of South East Queensland region is likely to increase to 4.9 million by 2036 as it doubles every 30 years. The Cross-River Rail Project which is the highest priority project for the Queensland Government is intended to support future growth. It is planned to attend to major growth, not just in population but related infrastructure and traffic congestion as well. The Project envisages a 10.2 km line from Dutton Park station to Bowen Hills station out of which 5.9 km would be in a tunnel under the Brisbane River and the Brisbane CBD (Central Business District). It would reduce the travel times and provide access to many commercial areas, educational area, recreational facilities and residential area to the public in general greatly facilitating movement and commuting across the region. It is being described as not just an ordinary unfractured project but as a ‘City Transformational project.’ The Project is at the Business Stage and $800 million of the required $5.4 billion have been committed by the Government of Queensland which is a strong proponent of the project. The Prime Minister recently desired to integrate it with the Brisbane City Government’s Brisbane Metro Proposed project. The Prime Minister, however, has committed $10 million right away stressing that further funding possibilities would depend on upon the feasibility of the project. The Queensland government sees the project as vitally important for the growth of Australia’s third largest city and its surrounds. 2 Need for the Initiative At present 420 trains are crossing the present bridge every day and since the existing bridge is the only link between the Southern suburbs and SEQ with the CBD. It is estimated that by the year 2026, this link would be facing an exceedingly high level of crowding. Both the Springvale and the Ipswich rail lines would be highly over capacity. The real cost to be incurred is not in building the CRR. It is the cost of not building it. This future 'cost of not building the CRR' is estimated to be over $69 billion by 2031. That is why, Queensland's government is giving top priority to this project and as already stated, it is the Federal Labor's 'Numero uno' priority. Federal Labor is planning to provide $800 million for this project which likely creates 1600 jobs in 5 years. however, Labor's Federal contribution is bound to the assessment and feasibility. the analysis would be done to find out if different novel federal funding options can be utilized as well CITATION Bri161 \l 1033 (Brisbane Cross River Rail Fact Sheet, 2016). 3.0 Initiative Life Cycle As per the Infrastructure Policy listing released on 7th October 2016 by Infrastructure Australia of the Government of Australia, the Brisbane CRR Project is listed among the High Priority Initiatives and is currently in the Business case development stage. Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1 CRR in High Priority Initiatives Source: CITATION Inf16 \l 1033 (Infrastructure Priority List, 2016). Comprising of a 5.9 km tunnel right under the Brisbane River and CBD, the proposed Brisbane CRR (Cross River Rail) project is a 10.2 km long link. It will be built to connect the Northern and Southern rail networks to each other. This will greatly facilitate commenting in both directions and drastically lower the pressure on the existing Merivale Bridge rail link. while Merivale is adequate for present loads, it is likely to run over capacity by 2021. The project's estimated $5 billion cost would be drawn in part from the Labor's IFF (Infrastructure Finance Facility) which was announced by it in the year 2015. The initiative and the need for building this gigantic project emanates from estimates that Brisbane being the third largest city in Australia is likely to grow to host nearly half of all of Queensland's population by 2031 CITATION Bri161 \l 1033 (Brisbane Cross River Rail Fact Sheet, 2016). The project had initially been proposed in 2010 comprising of two surface stations and four underground stations. A revision was put forward in 2012 which was scaled down version costing at an estimated $4.5 billion. However, at that time, the Abbott-Turnbull Government had shelved the CRR project. In 2013, the Queensland government had replaced it with CBT, a Bus and train project with a two-way underground train line and a busway above in the tunnel. However, the Palaszczuk Labor Government in Queensland has revived this project. Had it been started in 2012, it would have been at an advanced stage of completion. Labor, in general, is planning to invest big in Infrastructure projects in Australia in line with its belief that Federal government needs to take part in Infrastructure projects. To coordinate all such projects, there would be a Minister of Cities who would control large projects like CRR in Australia CITATION Bri161 \l 1033 (Brisbane Cross River Rail Fact Sheet, 2016). 3.1Project position on Project timeline The project is currently at the Business case stage on the project timeline. Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2 Project position on project timeline Source: CITATION Cro161 \l 1033 (CrossRiverRail, 2016). 3.2Initial Planning As the Brisbane CRR project in its present proposal form is in the business case stage, the case is presented here. It was released in June 2016 by the Queensland Government: It is presented as Table 1. Table 1: Brisbane CRR as a Business case, Source: CITATION Cro16 \l 1033 (Cross River Rail Project Business Case, 2016). PROJECT NAME CROSS RIVER RAIL Location Brisbane city rail network Project Owner Department of Transport and Main Roads Delivery Agency Cross River Rail Delivery Authority (proposed) BCR 1.21 (P50) 1.12 (P90) Estimated Cost of Delivery $5.4b NPV $996.0m ...