The construction of a major US$670M road tunnel under the Australian city of Brisbane came a step closer to reality at the end of last month when the state-government of Queensland gave Brisbane City Council permission to charge motorists using it.
Providing the scheme passes the impact assessment studies, the state government has allowed the city to charge a toll for motorists to the use of the tunnel for up to 100 years.
The 5km long twin bore tunnel forms an integral part of a grand US$11bn plan to beat traffic congestion in the city over the next 15 years.
The North South Bypass Tunnel Project will link the suburbs of Woolloongabba in the south and Bowen Hills in the north, bypassing the CBD. Construction will probably be with TBMs.
The next stage of the project is a US$4M impact assessment study, which will investigate the engineering, environmental, financial and social impacts of the tunnel.
Construction could start in two years’ time, and be in operation by 2009.
The cost of a single journey has been estimated at about US$2.20.
