Cross River Rail’s Roma Street underground station is well underway with installation complete on a number of escalators architectural finishes, marking great strides in the completion of a massive station that will be at the centre of the new major transport interchange.
Six of the eight escalators along the station’s underground platform have been installed, while four of the 20 escalators that passengers will use to travel to surface level are also in place.
Various architectural finishes are also now visible, including panels for the station’s permanent walls and final touches to the baffle ceilings, which will help absorb sound in the massive underground space.
More than 46,000 people are expected to use the new Roma Street station each weekday by 2036.
The combined work underway across the mega-site provides the best sense yet of not only just how expansive the new underground stations are but also the journey passengers will take as they descend almost 30m below ground to board their train.
The transformation from construction site to train station will continue over coming months as the final escalators are installed in the station box, artwork is set in place and the station canopy is erected, soaring 23m above street level.
Once complete, the addition of the new high-capacity underground station and the new station entrance to the existing local, regional and interstate rail connections, bus platforms and coach terminal will see Roma Street reborn as not only Queensland’s most significant public transport interchange but also an iconic gateway to Brisbane.
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Bart Mellish Roma Street is looking less like a construction site and more like a train station every day.
“The rate of progress is incredible, and the works give you a real sense of the sheer size and scale of the finished station,” Mr Mellish said.
“The significant progress so far is testament to the dedication and hard work of the 250-strong crew at Roma Street who are making this underground station a reality.
“Roma Street is set to become our state’s most significant transport interchange and will provide a vital link for commuters during the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“With Suncorp Stadium set to host the opening and closing ceremonies and the state-of-the-art Brisbane Arena to be constructed only a short walk away, Roma Street will bring significant benefits to how commuters travel during the Games and for many years to come.
Mr Mellish said that it will be the main Cross River Rail station connecting to surface bus and rail networks, meaning that for many people it will be how they switch to trains travelling through the new tunnels beneath the Brisbane River and CBD.
“The new underground station’s extraordinary transformation will continue in coming months.
“We’ll see renowned Indigenous artist Judy Watson’s massive and stunning artwork go up in the station box and the construction of the station’s canopy, which will become a defining feature of this part of the CBD.
“For people travelling to Brisbane for the first time on regional and interstate bus and train services, Roma Street will be their ‘gateway’ to the city’s new underground line.
“The new Roma Street underground station will help revitalise one of the most under-used inner-city precincts, connecting more people to the northwest part of the CBD.”
Queensland Minister for State Development and Infrastructure and Member for McConnel, Grace Grace, said that it is fantastic to see this brand-new underground station well on track to completion.
“There is no denying the significant impact this piece of infrastructure will bring, not only to residents of Brisbane, but to Queenslanders and visitors alike,” Ms Grace said.
“I have lived in central Brisbane all my life and cannot wait to see how this project will transform the city, for the better.”
Featured image: A digital render of the completed Roma Station. Image credit: Queensland Government.