Arabic version: الكشف عن حاجز فيضانات شارع ألبرت
According to ABC News, engineers have unveiled an 80-tonne flood barrier at Albert Street Station for Brisbane’s Cross River Rail underground train network. The mechanical structure, dubbed “The Esky Lid” by the Cross River Rail Authority, is designed to protect the new underground tunnels during major flooding.
The 22-metre by 10-metre barrier can descend from the ceiling over the station’s main entrance and seal it against floodwaters. Sliding panels allow its modules to click into position, while the structure blends into the station ceiling when it is not in use. Shutters will also close the entrance to the northern side of Albert Street Station during intense flooding.
Albert Street Station is expected to be the deepest point of the 10-kilometre Cross River Rail network and is located in a low-lying, flood-prone part of Brisbane’s CBD. The barrier is intended to keep the station flood-proof to about 10.3 metres above street level, a level rated as a 1-in-10,000-year probability. Program director Jeremy Kruger said passengers would be evacuated before the barrier was lowered in an extreme flood.
Mr Kruger said construction work was due to finish in early 2027, followed by safety testing, while passenger services were not expected to start until 2029. Cross River Rail was originally scheduled to open in 2024 with a $5.4 billion budget. The project is now expected to cost around $19 billion, making it Queensland’s largest and most expensive infrastructure project in history.
