17 Apr 2014
The infrastructure pipeline
There’s been a flurry of recent infrastructure headlines. The Victorian Government’s May 6 budget will include plans for a new electrified rail service running along dedicated tracks from Melbourne Airport to Southern Cross Station. Although details of costs have yet to be disclosed, the track is expected to be completed by the end of the decade.
In NSW, the Prime Minister announced Badgerys Creek as Sydney's second airport. With an estimated cost of $2.5 billion for this phase of development, groundbreaking is slated for 2016. Private sector capital must contribute to construction. The greenfield nature of the site will make this an interesting challenge.
Meanwhile, the PM confirmed about $3 billion will be spent in Western Sydney over the next eight years to provide the necessary road network expansion to accommodate the airport. The PM called on the NSW Government to fund and deliver a rail link to the proposed new airport.
Illustration: Chris Kelly. Corporate caricatures & illustrations.
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