CONSTRUCTION of stage one of the $550m Beerburrum to Nambour (B2N) rail duplication has been delayed by two years with completion not expected until 2027, the state government says.
The 13km duplication from Beerburrum to Beerwah is expected to be shovel ready by 2024 and completed three years later, the Department of Transport said in a statement last week.
Announcing joint venture partners John Holland and Seymour Whyte, last week, the Department of Transport said that its preconstruction and design agreement with the companies would help in forward planning as commodity pressures continued to impact projects.
“With pressures on the supply of commodities such as steel and concrete used in track construction and rail structures, completing the detailed design is an important step before commencing the major works,” the department said.
“This will provide additional confidence around the construction costs and reduce risks in delivery.” The delivery timescale was revised “to allow for the complexity of design, construction and commissioning processes in the rail environment”.
“This upgrade is a vital infrastructure project for the Sunshine Coast and forms part of the Palaszczuk Government’s plan to deliver more than $3 billion worth of transport and road upgrades across the region over the next four years,” Transport Minister Mark Bailey said.
