Brisbane’s bid to host the 2032 Olympic Games may be the push we need to commence work on necessary transportation and infrastructure projects throughout the State. Currently home to 3.8 million people and projected to reach 5.8 million over the next two decades, South East Queensland is reaching a crucial point where we must implement changes to accommodate our growing population. The High Speed Rail System is a key piece of sustainable infrastructure that would support our State’s growth, transforming the region into one large metropolitan area.
The High Speed Rail system comprises a train line along the South East Queensland coastline via a high-speed rail connection, reducing travel time between Brisbane and coastal centres to 45 minutes. There are currently two train lines under review, the first being a proposed link between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane and the second connecting Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Initial studies will cost an estimated $16.5 billion, with the federal Government contributing $8 million and the Queensland Government investing $14 million into the project so far. A route from Brisbane to Toowoomba is also under review, with a travel time of only 52 minutes.
Following in the footsteps of Sydney and Melbourne, the rail system moves large amounts of people quickly and cuts travel time down to almost half. Brisbane’s Olympic bid outlines a plan for an athlete’s village on the Gold Coast, a day village on the Sunshine Coast and names Toowoomba, Townsville and Cairns as host venues. This plan makes the rail system an integral part of the success of the 2032 Games, allowing tourists, athletes and their families to travel quickly and efficiently between events.
A successful Olympic bid will inflict measurable social and economic impacts on Queensland including an estimated 130,000 new jobs and international publicity that will boost tourism and visitor expenditure. Inevitable infrastructure and transportation upgrades will assist with population growth, traffic congestion, and housing affordability as it becomes feasible to commute to work from further away. Set to be made official in July, if Brisbane were to host the 2032 Olympic Games, it will act as a driving force for critical projects to accommodate our growing City.
**Images and statistics sourced from https://brisbanedevelopment.com/queensland-olympic-legacy-high-speed-rail/**
By Nick Bendel from LoanMarket Nick Bendel is a professional journalist with more than a decade’s experience writing about mortgage broking, property, finance, economics and business. His work has been published in The Adviser, Mortgage Business, Real Estate Business, Elite Agent, Smart Property Investment and RateCity. The amount of money … Read more
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