North-South Bypass Tunnel, Brisbane

Infobox Australian Road
road_name = Clem Jones Tunnel
(CLEM7)
North-South Bypass Tunnel
route_

route_

route_

photo =
caption =
length = 6.8
direction = North - South
start =
finish =
est =
through = Kangaroo Point
route =
exits = AUSR|23 Shafston Avenue

The M7 Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7), known in development as the North-South Bypass Tunnel (NSBT), is a $3.2 AUD billion toll road to be built underground between Woolloongabba and Bowen Hills in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

The major benefit of the tunnel is that it will bypass 18 existing sets of traffic lights, and provide an additional Brisbane River crossing. It will provide two lanes of traffic in each direction. When completed, it will be the longest road tunnel in Australia.

This tunnel was originally proposed by then Labor Lord Mayor Jim Soorley in 2001, and was incorporated into the Liberal Candidate Campbell Newman's five tunnel vision "TransApex" in 2002.

In December 2007, Brisbane City Council decided to name the tunnel the Clem Jones Tunnel in honour of the former lord mayor. [citation
url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22936175-3102,00.html
title=The Courier Mail
accessdate=2008-01-21]

On July 16 2008, the State Government announced that the tunnel will be known as the M7 Motorway. The M7 name will also be assigned to the Airport Link, Brisbane.

The tender

The successful tenderer, RiverCity Motorway Limited, was announced by Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman on 27 April 2006, beating a bid by the Brisconnections consortium.

This tunnel will be tolled for a minimum of 45 years, or ten years more than promised by Newman in the 2004 election.

The toll on this tunnel is expected to be more than $4.10 when the tunnel is finally opened in late 2010/early 2011, despite Newman promising a toll of no more than $2.00 including GST during the election.

Controversy

There has also been considerable controversy over the environmental hazards which may be caused by the construction phase and operation of the tunnels, particularly regarding the position of exhaust ventilation stacks.

One of the reasons for building the tunnel as a Public Private Partnership(PPP) is that it should reduce Brisbane City Council's risks regarding the tunnel construction and operation. However, the public disclosure documents released by Rivercity Motorway indicate that there are still considerable un-costed risks left with Council. For example, a 10 metre extension was required for the exhaust stack at the Woolloongabba end of the tunnel and the full cost was required to be borne by Brisbane City Council not Rivercity Motorway.

The losing bid by the Brisconnections consortium incorporated three lanes of traffic in each direction (as opposed to two lanes for the winning bid). With a price difference of $20 AUD million the decision to build a two lane tunnel has been criticised as shortsighted.

BrisConnections did win the tender for the Airport link, which will link directly with the North South Bypass Tunnel. Airport Link is expected to open on 2012. [citation
url=http://www.skyscraperlife.com/showthread.php?t=2689
title=U/C: NSBT Rivercity Motorway Tunnel
accessdate=2007-07-16]

The public offering

There has also been a number of questions raised in The Australian and the Australian Financial Review about the viability of the public offering for the tunnel. Rivercity Motorway is confident that the public offering will be successful. The initial share offer was shares at a cost of $1.00 with 50% deferred for 12 months. The shares were listed on the ASX at $0.46 (8 % below the offer price) and have traded for as little as $0.355 (29% below offer price, 14 Feb 2007.) The ASX issuer code for the Rivercity Motorway Group is RCY.

A dividend of 2.4c per stapled unit has recently been released to investors.

Construction Details

As of September 2008, TBM 2 named Florence has reached Kangoroo Point on the southern side of the Brisbane River whereas TBM 1 named Matilda is still tunneling under the river. Bridges are reaching the final stages at the Northern Portal, and the Morrissey Street bridge will shortly be completed at Woolloongabba.December 2009 is still the goal for completion.

See also

*TransApex
*South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program

References

External links

* [http://www.rivercitymotorway.net.au/ RiverCity Motorway (contractor)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WwOgNTwqIw Direct Link to Flyover video]
* [http://www.skyscraperlife.com/showthread.php?t=2689 NSBT - Public Forum]
* [http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/bccwr/2010/accessible/images/nsbt_map_1_final.jpgTunnel Map] from the Brisbane City Council
* [http://203.58.62.145/home/news_detail.asp?ID=428 Lord Mayor announces successful NSBT tender (BCC Newsroom, 27 April 2006)]
* [http://www.rag.org.au/tunnel/default.htm Rivermouth Action Group (lobby group opposed to tunnelling in Brisbane)]
* [http://rivercity.atwww.com/PDS.aspx Product Disclosure Statement] the Product Disclosure Statement for the share offering of the tunnel containing many details of the financial contract.