Brisbane City Council is gearing up to start delivering an extensive suite of infrastructure projects in the new financial year, which will create well over 4000 jobs in Brisbane.
The infrastructure boom includes everything from suburban roads and footpaths, park, reserve and stormwater upgrades to building riverwalks and double-decker CityCats.
Investment in road projects, intersection upgrades and improvements to other city assets, including bridges, culverts, boardwalks, safety fences and kerb and channel will support 1300 jobs this financial year alone.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Council’s investment in infrastructure would create jobs and drive Brisbane’s economic revival following the global coronavirus pandemic.
“Coronavirus has ripped a $140 million hole the 2020-21 Budget, and the way out of the economic turbulence, is investment in projects big and small that will support jobs, create local supplier opportunities and future-proof our city for generations to come,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Every single job created and every dollar spent at a local supplier is helping Brisbane to rebuild; whether it’s 60 jobs created by building cycling infrastructure like Indooroopilly Riverwalk, or 70 local workers employed to on the design and build the new double-decker CityCats at Murarrie.
“If you support a local product or service, your money stays in the Brisbane economy and this cycle of economic recovery and evolves into buoyancy.”
Cr Schrinner said these shovel-ready projects come on top of major job drivers including the Brisbane Metro, fast-tracked green bridges at Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek, the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade and the Wynnum Rd Stage 1b upgrade.
“Get ready for a pipeline of job-creating infrastructure projects to ramp up this financial year,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Work is gearing up on the turn-up-and-go Brisbane Metro where more than 2600 jobs will be created throughout the planning, design and construction of the project with the Brisbane Move consortium and the fast-track of delivery of green bridges will create a further 500 jobs, with works on the Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek Bridges to start next year.’’
Cr Schrinner said the 2020-21 Budget was crafted to help Brisbane businesses, residents and community groups thrive once again as the world moved into the recovery phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is a Budget that rebuilds Brisbane. It is job-generating, forward thinking and a Budget that will lay the foundations for our economic recovery,” he said.
“All these projects will bring certainty to small, local businesses and contractors while also delivering critical projects that will bust congestion, improve liveability and accessibility for Brisbane residents.”
The significant investment in jobs includes active transport infrastructure initiatives, major road projects, vital upgrades to footpaths and ferry terminals as well as park and community services upgrades, library and animal shelter refurbishments, and improvements to sports fields, golf courses and pools.
MAJOR INFRASTRUCUTE PROJECTS FUNDED IN 2020-21:
- Bikeways, footpaths, green bridges and Brisbane Metro – $258.6m
- Suburban roads – $319.9m
- Parks, bushland, reserves, stormwater – $144.7m
- Village Precinct projects – $8m
- Library refurbishment, community facilities improvement, sports fields, golf courses, pools – $37.4m
- Animal shelters – $1.1m
Ongoing construction:
- Brisbane Metro
- Kingsford Smith Drive Upgrade
- Wynnum Road Upgrade Stage 1