Project Needs

The main aim of this paper is to explore various elements of the proposed Brisbane Metro project. These elements discussed are related to the planning, design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance of the project. The objectives of the paper are to explore the background of the project, analyze various aspects of its lifecycle, understand civil engineering systems applied in the project and compare the project with a similar project in the region – Cross River Rail. This will help SEQTrans make informed decisions about the two projects and to ensure that information provided in this report helps in successful delivery of the two projects. The paper consists of the following sections: project needs, project lifecycle, civil engineering system, project stewardship, project values, comparative assessment and conclusions and informed recommendation.

Brisbane Metro is a bus rapid transit system that will improve public transport in SEQ region by providing residents and visitors with more travel options, get them to their destinations quicker and safer, and minimize congestion. The current population of SEQ region is about 3 million and Brisbane is one of the major cities in the region. Brisbane is the capital and biggest city of Queensland with a population of about 2.4 million. It is one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities (Office of the Auditor General, 2015). Rapid population growth and changing urban land use have put immense pressure on public transport infrastructure in Australia (Ritchie, 2017). This has made traffic congestion one of the major problems in the region. It is estimated that road travel time in major Australian cities, including Brisbane, will increase by at least 20% and cost Australian economy $53 billion by 2031 unless actions are taken to improve transport infrastructure (Dunckley & Saulwick, 2015). Brisbane Metro is a valuable project that is expected to offer a long-tern solution to traffic congestion problem in SEQ region. The project will improve accessibility and connectivity, improve amenity and efficiency, increase transport mode share, improve capacity, increase reliability, improve travel time, create regional jobs, and support economic growth. The Brisbane Metro network is as shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Brisbane Metro network

Initial Planning

Brisbane Metro was announced by the Brisbane City Council (BCC) in January 2016 as a project aimed at addressing challenges and constraints facing the current busway network of the city. Originally, it was planned that driverless trams would operate on the network but this was revised in March 2017 and changed to high capacity bi-articulated buses, which saw the cost of the project reduced by one third. The project is also in line with other key government policies and plans including Australian Infrastructure Plan, Smart Cities Plan, State Infrastructure Plan, Shaping SEQ Regional Plan 2017, Draft Transport Plan for Brisbane and Brisbane City Centre Master Plan 2014 (Brisbane City Council, 2018). The key stakeholders involved in the planning of Brisbane Metro include: BCC, Australian Government, and Queensland Government (and their relevant agencies including departments of infrastructure, transport and regional development; regional services; finance and public service; trade tourism and investment, environment, etc.), Cross River Rail Delivery Authority, industry associations, private property owners, Cultural Centre area stakeholders, environmentalists, lobby groups, and community representatives, among others. The key elements in the initial planning of the project include: cost-benefits analysis of the project, environmental and social impacts, possible constraints, design elements of the project, regulatory approvals, stakeholder engagement activities, sources of funding, and project milestones.

Project Lifecycle

Procurement of Brisbane Metro started in July 2018 and is expected to be completed by end of 2019. BCC is responsible for the procurement activities. The project is planned to be delivered in the following packages: early works, suburban infrastructure, inner city infrastructure, systems, metro vehicles and metro depot. BCC is seeking to form a collaborative partnership that will deliver suburban infrastructure, inner city infrastructure and systems packages. Qualified organizations have also been invited to submit their expression of interest (EOI) for the Metro vehicle fleet’s design, delivery and commissioning, and the Platform Management Information System (PMIS). The key procurement stages for the project are: tendering/bidding, awarding the tender/contract, handover and payments. The main resources needed for the procurement of the project are funding and human resources.

The main design elements of Brisbane metro include: conversion of Victoria Bridge to green bridge, new underground tunnel at Adelaide Street, new underground Cultural Centre station, depot facility for vehicle fleet of the Metro, upgrades and modifications of existing stations, and remove busway portal along Melbourne Street. Some of those who will be responsible for the design of these key elements are: geotechnical engineers, road design engineers, urban and regional planners, water engineers, structural engineers, transport engineers, landscape architects, environmentalists, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers. Some of the key design tools needed for the design of Brisbane Metro include: transport modelling software, road alignment design software, intersection design/analysis software, geotechnical modelling software, structural modelling software, and computer aided design (CAD) software, simulation and visualization tools (such as SmartBRT), etc. The design of the Metro also requires several design instruments, including bus rapid transit (BRT) standards, design and building codes, design and building guidelines, etc. Some of the design instruments include: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Planning Guide, Australian Rapid Transit Assessment Guidelines (ARTAG), Guide to Road Designs (Austroads, 2016), and Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice. The design instruments are helpful in determining the appropriate geometry, cross-section, design speeds, number of lanes, etc. of the BRT system (American Public Transportation Assosciation, 2010). Detailed design and construction of the project is expected to start in early 2019 and be completed in 2022. Metro services are expected to commence in 2023.

The key development stages and milestones of Brisbane Metro include the following: announcement of Brisbane Metro concept that was done in early 2016; consultation with various stakeholders and residents most likely to be affected by the project, which was undertaken between mid and late 2016; detailed analysis and assessment of options and market research that was done in early 2017; announcement of Brisbane Metro expansion in March 2017; completion and release of Brisbane Metro Business Case in May 2017 (the business case confirmed that the project is worthwhile infrastructure project that will provide a wide range of benefits); development of design and impact assessment of the project that was done from mid to late 2017; confirmation of Brisbane Metro as a High Priority Project on the Infrastructure Priority List of the nation that took place in March 2018; release of draft design report for consultation that was done in April 2018; confirmation of a $300 million funding commitment to the project by the Federal/Australian Government in May 2018 (this came after BCC committed to fund $644 million of the capital cost of the project meaning that the total cost of the project of $944 million is not fully funded); and commencement of procurement that started in July 2018 (Brisbane City Council, 2018).

Initial Planning

BCC and federal and state agencies will be the main stakeholders responsible for the development of Brisbane Metro. Other responsible parties include stakeholders that will be in the collaborative partnership with BCC together with civil engineers, structural engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, architects, urban planners, traffic engineers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, etc. Development of this project will also require different processes, systems and resources, including labour, plant/equipment, conventional and engineered materials, advanced construction techniques, etc.

Brisbane Metro will be delivered through five main packages: early works, suburban infrastructure, inner city infrastructure, systems, metro vehicles and metro depot. Different approaches will be used to deliver these packages. Delivery of early works will be by construct only approach, metro depot by design and construct approach, suburban infrastructure by construct only, inner city infrastructure by design and construct approach, PMIS by design and delivery approach and metro vehicles by design and build approach. Therefore the project will be delivered through collaborative partnership between BCC and other interested and qualified parties, including contractors, designers, suppliers and other organizations (Brisbane City Council, 2015). The design instruments are helpful in determining the appropriate geometry, cross-section, design speeds, number of lanes, etc. of the BRT system (American Public Transportation Assosciation, 2010). Detailed design and construction of the project is expected to start in early 2019 and be completed in 2022. Metro services are expected to commence in 2023.

Once the construction of the project is completed, commissioning and demobilization will follow prior to handover and operation. During commissioning, engineers will be involved in inspecting and testing various elements and systems of the Brisbane Metro to ensure that they meet the required design standards and specifications. Some of the elements and systems to be tested for function, safety and reliability are: ventilation, fire and safety, control and information, and security and safety systems. After commissioning and demobilization, the project will be handed over to BCC to commence operations.

The daily bus and passenger operations (.e. operation and maintenance) of Brisbane Metro will be monitored by BCC and Brisbane Metropolitan Traffic Management Centre. The two parties will be responsible for controlling the automated system of the Metro, periodic maintenance and repair and revenue collection. Regular repair, maintenance and cleaning of various systems may be contracted to building services contractors, maintenance of lighting and electronic signage may be contracted to electrical engineering contractors, and maintenance of information and control systems may be contracted to information technology contractors. The key resources needed for the operation and maintenance of Brisbane Metro include funding, appropriate automated or computerized systems and software, and qualified personnel.

Brisbane Metro has been planned for a fifty-year horizon. However, various components of the Metro have varied design life. For instance, the design life for pavements is 20 years, the design life for stations is 50 years, design life for control systems is 50 years, and design life for vehicles is 50 years. Based on the increasing population and changing land uses in Brisbane, it is important to consider various factors when planning the horizon of the project. In this case, Brisbane Metro can be replaced or integrated with a state-of-the-art light rail transit (LRT) system if the project retires. In case of replacement, the same alignment can be used for the LRT systems. But if it is integration, then the Metro will have to be revamped so as to make it more suitable for the transportation needs by that time and also enhance seamless compatibility and interoperability with the LRT system.  

Procurement

Efficiency has become one of the major factors in the construction industry. This is mainly because of the sustainability aspect of construction projects. It is therefore important to conduct civil engineering research so as to ensure that the Brisbane Metro is designed to achieve the highest efficiency possible throughout its lifecycle. The research should focus on improving resource efficiency of the project and making the project sustainable. Some of the resource areas include: pre-fabricated or volumetric construction approach to improve quality and reduce delivery time (Lopez & Froese, 2016), use of nanotechnology or engineered nanomaterials to improve performance; (Silvestre, Silvestre, & de Brito, 2016) and reduce cost and environmental impacts (Hanus & Harrs, 2013); (Lee, Mahendra, & Alvarez, 2010), use of modern technological tools or processes such as building information modelling (BIM) to enhance information flow (Li, et al., 2014); (Masood, Kharal, & Nasir, 2014), implementation of lean construction principles to minimize waste (Erol, Dikmen, & Birgonul, 2017), and use of recycled and recyclable materials to enhance sustainability (Bolden, Abu-Lebdeh, & Fini, 2013); (Prezzi, Bandini, Carraro, & Monteiro, 2011).

There are several civil engineering sub-disciplines that are associated with this project. They include: geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering, material engineering, water resources engineering, urban or municipal engineering, surveying engineering, construction engineering, traffic management engineering, structures and control engineering (Islamic University, 2018). The relevance of these sub-disciples is spread throughout the lifecycle of the project.   

The main steward during the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of Brisbane Metro is BCC. The Council will oversee the project through various departments including Brisbane Infrastructure, Transport for Brisbane, and City Planning and Sustainability. A major steward agency during operation phase of Brisbane Metro will be Brisbane Metropolitan Traffic Management Centre (BMTMC). BCC will also form a government consortium for the project stewardships. The consortium will comprise of federal, state and local government agencies, including Department of Transport and Main Roads; Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management, Planning Institute of Australia, and Bicycling Queensland. The Council may also consider appointing an experienced private operator to be in charge of operations and maintenance of Brisbane Metro.

The stewardship of the project is not likely to change with each stage of the project’s lifecycle because BCC will always remain the main steward responsible for all aspects of the project. Nevertheless, depending on the performance of the Metro, the Council may decide to change the stewardship during operation and designate its responsibility to a private operator or federal/state agency. The roles of BCC is to provide financing and monitor and control all activities during planning, design, construction and operation (monitoring and managing operation of buses, route scheduling, congestion control, management of passengers, ticketing, revenue collection, infrastructure repairs and maintenance, workplace healthy and safety, etc.) of the project. The main roles of the federal and state government is to provide financial support and monitor the project to ensure that it meets the required design and engineering standards, it attains anticipated benefits and its negative impacts are managed. The main responsibilities of engineers in the stewardship is to advice the Council on the best design, construction, operation, maintenance and improvement options for the Metro.

Design

The estimated capital cost of Brisbane Metro is $944 million, which has already been committed by the BCC ($644 million) and the federal government ($300 million). This project will improve accessibility and connectivity of Brisbane, which means quicker and safer movement of people and goods in the region. According to cost benefit analysis conducted, the benefit cost ratio of the project is 1.91 meaning that every $1 of capital cost spent on the project will generate investment return of $1.91 to the local economy. Brisbane Metro is going to help position Brisbane as a world-class destination for investment, business, talent attraction and tourism through provision of improved capacity and access to public transport to key employment hubs of the city (Brisbane City Council, 2017). Therefore this project will drive business interaction and economic growth, create employment opportunities for residents, and support growth in the city and region. The project complements other significant projects such as Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development, Herston Quarter development, and redevelopment of Bowen Hills Priority and Woolloongabba Development Areas. Therefore Brisbane Metro will unlock numerous economic opportunities within the city, connect the city to the world and facilitate business activities in the region hence the project will have huge economic impacts on the city and region as a whole. The project has significant economic worthiness to the community.

Brisbane Metro will provide a quick, safe and reliable public transport option for residents and visitors in Brisbane. The project will open up spaces where people can meet to shop, eat, relax and have fun. It will reduce the menace of traffic congestion and road accidents. It will make it easier for people to move from their homes to workplaces easily, quickly and safely. It will create income generating opportunities and improve the living standards of residents. It will improve the health of people by reducing air pollution and giving them safe options to walk or cycle to and from the city. It will also attract foreigners to do business and tourists thus helping local residents to learn new cultures. In general, Brisbane Metro has huge positive social impacts to the community.

Brisbane Metro is a public transport system that will use a fleet of 60 high-frequency, high-capacity metro vehicles, which will be able to carry up to 22,000 passengers per hour. This will remove numerous buses and private cars from Brisbane roads thus reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and carbon footprint resulting from the manufacturing and operation of these vehicles. The project will see conversion of Victoria Bridge to a green bridge thus creating safe space for bus services, cyclists and pedestrians. This will encourage more people to walk and cycle thus reducing air pollution. The plan of the project has a 50-year horizon meaning the system has been designed to meet travel demand in the region for the next half a century. The Metro is also flexible for future expansion. Therefore Brisbane Metro has several sustainable features. However, there are numerous opportunities of improving the sustainability of the project. This includes use of recycled and recyclable materials, use of energy efficient systems, use of energy efficient construction methods, use of renewable energy to power its systems and stations, use of energy efficient vehicles, and use of alternative energy vehicles.

Development

Short-term politics is a major obstacle to delivery of major construction projects in Brisbane. There are incidences where each of the individual levels of government propose different projects to solve traffic congestion problem in the region (Moore T. , 2018). In some cases, leaders from opposition oppose projects proposed by the government thus delaying delivery of these projects. Such leaders oppose projects to gain political mileage. Brisbane Metro has received support from all the three levels of government, including financial support from the federal government. BCC has also engaged the community throughout the planning and made changes based on feedback they received. Therefore this project is less likely to be affected by politics. However, it is worth noting that during the last election, lord mayor had promised that Brisbane Metro would have a Paris-style subway, which according to Jared Cassidy, opposition councilor, is not the case (McCosker, 2018). Having said that, Brisbane Metro has not received any significant political opposition. The project enjoys support from all levels of governments, the public, local community and even the opposition leaders. Thus no threats of the project being dropped by subsequent governments.

Brisbane Metro is a dedicated route of length 21 km that will service 18 stations (McCosker, 2018) whereas Cross River Rail is a 10.2 km rail line with 6 stations. There will be two connections between Brisbane Metro and Cross River Rail as shown in Figure 2 below. This means that Cross River Rail and Brisbane Metro projects have been planned and designed to work together (Smee, 2018).

Figure 2: Connection points between Brisbane Metro and Cross River Rail (Branco, 2017)

The summary of various elements of Brisbane Metro and Cross River Rail projects is provided in Table 1 below

Table 1: Comparative Assessment of SEQ Transit Project Options

Consideration	Brisbane Metro	Cross River Rail
Need for Initiative	The project is needed to provide residents and visitors with a more reliable, quick, safe and affordable travel option, and reduce traffic congestion thus opening SEQ region for economic growth.	The project is needed to improve accessibility and connectivity of SEQ region, relieve congestion and solve capacity constraints on Brisbane’s city rail network
Initial Planning	The project was announced in January 2016 and revised in March 2017 from driverless trams to high capacity bi-articulated buses. Main planning work done by Brisbane City Council in collaboration with other federal and state agencies.	Original proposal of the project was in November 2010. The proposal was changed in 2012 by Newman Government. This second proposal was revised in 2013 by Queensland Government giving rise to Bus and Train (BaT) Tunnel proposal. The BaT Tunnel proposal was replaced with the current Cross River Rail project. The planning of the project is led by Cross River Rail Delivery Authority, a Queensland state agency.
Design	The main design elements include: green bridge to replace Victoria Bridge, underground tunnel at Adelaide Street, new underground Cultural Centre station, other stations, depot facility for vehicle fleet of the Metro, upgrades and modifications of existing stations, and remove busway portal along Melbourne Street. The design has involved professionals from different engineering fields, design tools and instruments.	The key design elements include: rail track design, tunnel design, surface and underground station building architecture and design, landscape architecture, intersection and connection design, intelligent transport systems design, and automated traffic control systems design. Different engineering professionals, design tools and instruments have been used in the design process.
Procurement	Procurement started in July 2018 by BCC and is expected to be completed by end of 2019. The project works packages are: early works, suburban infrastructure, inner city infrastructure, systems, metro vehicles and metro depot. Collaborative partnership will be used to deliver suburban infrastructure, inner city infrastructure and systems packages. Qualified organizations will be selected to deliver the Metro vehicle fleet’s design, delivery and commissioning, and the Platform Management Information System (PMIS). The key procurement stages for the project are: tendering/bidding, awarding the tender/contract, handover and payments. The main resources needed for the procurement of the project are funding and qualified personnel.	Cross River Rail Delivery Authority is responsible for procurement of the project. Procurement started in Q3 of 2017 and end in Q1 of 2019. The key procurement stages include: appointment of specialists advisers, invite EOI and evaluate them, prepare request for proposal, conduct interactive bidder workshops, develop bid strategy, select best bidders, conduct negotiations, facilitate necessary government approvals, conclude on contractual close and develop a suitable contract management strategy. Professional disciplines involved in the procurement process include: advisers (commercial and financial, legal), environmental impact assessment professionals, engineers (geotechnical, civil, structural, electrical, and mechanical engineers, and traffic engineers) and urban planners. The required resources for procurement is funding.
Development	Key development stages of the project are: announcement of Brisbane Metro concept, consultation with various stakeholders and residents, detailed analysis and assessment of options and market research, announcement of Brisbane Metro expansion, completion and release of Brisbane Metro Business Case, development of design and impact assessment of the project, confirmation of Brisbane Metro as a High Priority Project on the Infrastructure Priority List of the nation, release of draft design report for consultation, confirmation of a $300 million funding commitment to the project by the Federal/Australian Government, BCC committed to fund $644 million of the capital cost of the project, and commencement of procurement that started in July 2018.	The key development stages of Cross River Rail are: demolition works, excavation, materials preparation, surveying, laying the bottom ballast of the rail track, construction of drainage system of subgrade, installation of anchorage, laying the rail, laying ballast on top of the rail, installation of rail brace and rail anchor, construction of underground and surface stations, installation of related mechanical and electrical systems, installation of traffic control and signalling systems, installation of ticketing systems, and installation of other automated systems to facilitate operation of the rail network. The development is led by Cross River Rail Delivery Authority.
Delivery	The project will be delivered through the following packages: early works, suburban infrastructure, inner city infrastructure, systems, metro vehicles and metro depot. Delivery methods include: construct only, design and construct, design and build. BCC will form collaborative partnership with other interested qualified firms. After construction, commissioning and demobilization will follow before official handover and operation. BCC will monitor the progress of all works during delivery.	The project will be delivered through the following two main packages: TSD package (mainly underground work) to be delivered through PPP and RIS package (civil and electrical works of the rail, operation and control systems of the rail, and signalling and communication systems) to be delivered through alliance. All delivery works will be monitored by the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority.
Operation	Operations of Brisbane Metro will be under the control of BCC and Brisbane Metropolitan Traffic Management Centre. BCC may also appoint a private operator or state agency to be responsible for operations of the Metro.	The main operation activities include: ticketing, departure and arrival scheduling of the trains, traffic control, control of signalling systems, service provision at the stations and customer care services. Queensland Government will appoint a private operator or state agency to be responsible for operations of the rail network.
Maintenance	BCC will be responsible for maintenance of the Metro. BCC may contract repair, maintenance and cleaning of various systems of the Metro to building services contractors, maintenance of lighting and electronic signage may be contracted to electrical engineering contractors, and maintenance of information and control systems may be contracted to information technology contractors.	Maintenance work of the rail network will be done by Queensland Government through the appointed private operator or state agency. The maintenance works shall be contracted to specialists including: electrical engineers, electrical engineering contractors, mechanical engineers, mechanical engineering contractors, information and communication technology (ICT) engineers, ICT engineering contractors and building services contractors.
Retirement	The project has a 50-year horizon but individual components and systems have varied design life. The retirement of the project must have been considered in the planning and design phase to ensure that informed decisions are made in relation to the design, development, delivery and operation of the project. When the project retires, it can be replaced with a LRT or improved and integrated with other existing and new transit systems in the region.	The project has a 100-year horizon even though the design life of individual components is different. The retirement must have been factored in the planning and design of the project because it influences the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the project. At retirement, the rail network can be revamped or replaced with other new transit systems.
Civil Engineering System	The project lifecycle is related to the following civil engineering sub-disciplines: geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering, material engineering, water resources engineering, urban or municipal engineering, surveying engineering, construction engineering, traffic management engineering, structures and control engineering.	Civil engineering sub-disciplines involved in the planning, design, procurement, construction, operation and maintenance of the project include: environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, urban/municipal engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, surveying engineering, material engineering, water resources engineering, construction engineering, system control engineering and traffic management engineering.
Initiative Stewardship	BCC is the main steward for the project. The Council will work in collaboration with Brisbane Infrastructure, Transport for Brisbane, City Planning and Sustainability, Brisbane Metropolitan Traffic Management Centre, Department of Transport and Main Roads; Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management, Planning Institute of Australia, and Bicycling Queensland. The stewardship of the project is not likely to change but once the project is delivered, BCC may appoint a private operator or state agency to be in charge of operations and maintenance. Engineers will be part of the stewardship to ensure safe, efficient and sustainable operations.	The main steward of the project is Cross River Rail Delivery Authority. The Authority will work together with other relevant federal and state agencies. The Council will also form a PPP and alliance with qualified organizations. After construction is completed, the stewardship is likely to change as Queensland Government may appoint a state agency or private operator to take charge of the rail network’s operations and maintenance activities, including: scheduling of routes along the network, passenger management, ticketing, management of train operations, monitoring of train operations, revenue collection, repair and maintenance of the rail network infrastructure, ensuring safety and health of workers and passengers. Engineers will play a key role in stewardship of the project by advising on the best methods, materials and systems to use at different phases of the project.
Economic Values (including Project Cost Assessment)	The capital cost of the project is $944 million. BCC has already committed $644 million and the federal government has committed $300 million hence the project is fully funded. The benefits cost ration of the project is 1.91. The project will also create numerous direct and indirect employment opportunities, generate revenue for the government, attract local and foreign investment and spur economic growth in the region.	The capital cost of the project is $5.4 billion. It is also estimated that over a 30-year period, there will be additional cost of $4.9 billion for complementary growth projects and additional services and another $4.4 billion for maintenance and operation of the project. $2.8 billion was allocated to the project by the Queensland Government in 2017-18 budget. The Queensland Government has also committed to allocate the remaining $2.4 billion in future budgets.
Social Values	The project will reduce road accidents, improve air quality, improve health of residents, open more spaces for residents to shop, eat, meet and have fun, encourage walking and cycling, promote social interactions, attract foreign investors, ease movement of people and goods within the region, and improve living standards of people. Nevertheless, people’s life will be significantly affected during construction phase.	The project will minimize traffic congestion menace, reduce road accidents, improve living standards of local residents, make it easier for people to travel from one place to another, attract foreign investors and enhance social interactions. However, construction activities may cause interruptions and other negative impacts such as noise and air pollution and vibrations.
Sustainability Values	This project will replace thousands of personal cars currently on roads within the region thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It has been planned and designed with future traffic demand in mind hence it is a long term solution to traffic congestion problem in the region. It is also flexible for future expansion.	The project will help reduce the number of personal cars and transit vehicles from roads in the region thus lowering carbon emissions. It will also reduce the demand and burning of fossil fuels thus reducing air pollution.
Political Values	This project seems not to be affected by local politics even though it was one of the promises by the current lord mayor during the last election.	The project has been significantly affected by both local and national politics. This has caused reluctance by the federal government to provide the needed financial support. Some contractors are even afraid that subsequent governments may turn down the project.

Conclusions And Informed Recommendations

Conclusions

Brisbane Metro is expected to significantly improve economic growth, competitiveness, sustainability and liveability of SEQ region. The project is under the management of BCC, which is committed to ensure that the project is implemented successfully and all its anticipated benefits realized. A broad range of professional fields are involved in the planning, design, delivery and operation of Brisbane Metro. These include civil engineering, environmental engineering, urban planning, traffic engineering, geotechnical engineering, materials engineering, architecture and landscaping. Delivery of Brisbane Metro is estimated to cost $944 million and BCC has committed $644 million whereas the federal government has provided $300 million. Construction of Brisbane Metro is expected to be completed in late 2022 and start operations in early 2023.Th benefit cost ratio of Brisbane Metro is 1.91. The project has also been planned and designed to work together with Cross River Rail project so as to improve accessibility and connectivity of SEQ region. Once complete, Brisbane Metro will have numerous positive economic and social impacts. It will also play a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the region by removing thousands of personal cars from roads, reduce road accidents, improve safety of passengers, reduce travel times in the region, attract tourists and make Brisbane more livable. This project is worthwhile and should be implemented for the present and future betterment of SEQ region.

Civil Engineering System

Brisbane city and SEQ region as a whole are growing gradually and so is traffic congestion. The increased number of people and vehicles in the region has put a lot of pressure on available transportation infrastructure. Brisbane Metro is expected to relieve this pressure and solve some of the public transport constraints in the region. The following are some of the recommendations for the Brisbane Metro project:

BCC should monitor construction of the project closely to ensure that the final product delivered meets the contract specifications.

BCC should involve specialized professionals to conduct research so as to identify the most environmentally friendly and sustainable materials and construction methods for the project.

BCC and Queensland Government should provide the necessary support for the project throughout its lifecycle, and also involve the federal government.

BCC should select fuel efficient vehicles to operate on the new road being constructed.

BCC should select vehicles that use alternative (renewable or environmentally friendly) fuels to minimize greenhouse gas emissions even further.

References

American Public Transportation Assosciation. (2010). Desgning Bus Rapid Transit Running Ways. Washington, DC: American Public Transportation Assosciation.

Austroads. (2016). Guide to Road Design. Sydney: Austroads.

Bolden, J., Abu-Lebdeh, T., & Fini, E. (2013). Utilization of Recycled and Waste Materials in Various Construction Applications. American Journal of Environmental Sciences, 9(1), 14-24.

Branco, J. (2017, March 6). Brisbane Metro: ‘If it walks like a bus and moves like a bus, it is a bus’. Retrieved from Brisbane Times: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-metro-if-it-walks-like-a-bus-and-moves-like-a-bus-it-is-a-bus-20170306-gurcr0.html

Brisbane City Council. (2015). Brisbane Metro Industry Briefing. Brisbane: Brisbance City Council.

Brisbane City Council. (2017). Brisbane Metro: Business Case Key Findings. Brisbane: Brisbane City Council.

Brisbane City Council. (2018). About Brisbane Metro. Retrieved from Brisbane City Council: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/public-transport/brisbane-metro/about-brisbane-metro

Brisbane City Council. (2018). Brisbane Metro: Draft Design Report. Brisbane: Brisbane City Council.

Bus Industry Confederation. (2014). Rapid Transit: Investing in Australia’s Transport Future. Kingston, Act: Bus Industry Confederation of Australia.

Dunckley, M., & Saulwick, J. (2015, May 21). $53 billion congestion crunch looms warns Infrastructure Australia. Retrieved from The Sydney Morning Herald: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/53-billion-congestion-crunch-looms-warns-infrastructure-australia-20150521-gh6rzy.html

Erol, H., Dikmen, I., & Birgonul, M. (2017). Measuring the impact of lean construction practices on project duration and variability: A simulation-based study on residential buildings. Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 23(2), 241-251.

Hanus, M., & Harrs, A. (2013). Nanotechnology innovations for the construction industry. Progress in Material Science, 58(7), 1056-1102.

Islamic University. (2018). Sub-disciplines of Civil Engineering. Retrieved from Islamic University: https://engineering.iu.edu.sa/index.php/sub-disciplines-of-civil-engineering/

Lee, J., Mahendra, S., & Alvarez, P. (2010). Nanomaterials in the Construction Industry: A Review of Their Applications and Environmental Health and Safety Considerations. ACS Nano, 4(7), 3580-3590.

Li, J., Wang, Y., Wang, X., Luo, H., Kang, S., Wamg, J., . . . Jiao, Y. (2014). Benefits of Building Information Modelling in the Project Lifecycle: Construction Projects in Asia . International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems, 11(8), 1-15.

Lopez, D., & Froese, T. (2016). Analysis of Costs and Benefits of Panelized and Modular Prefabricated Homes. Procedia Engineering, 145(1), 1291-1297.

Masood, R., Kharal, M., & Nasir, A. (2014). Is BIM Adoption Advantageous for Construction Industry of Pakistan? Procedia Engineering, 77(1), 229-238.

Moore, T. (2017, November 1). Firms fear LNP will dump Cross River Rail, damage investor confidence. Retrieved from Brisbane Times: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/state-election-looms-as-yet-another-referendum-on-cross-river-rail-20171031-p4ywqn.html

Office of the Auditor General. (2015). Main Roads Projects to Address Traffic Congestion. Perth: Office of the Auditor General Western Australia.

Prezzi, M., Bandini, P., Carraro, J., & Monteiro, P. (2011). Use of Recyclable Materials in Sustainable Civil Engineering Applications. Advances in Civil Engineering, 2011, 1-2.

Ritchie, E. (2017, April 29). Better Cities: Welcome to the congested Australian crawl. Retrieved from The Australian Business Review: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/bettercities/better-cities-welcome-to-the-congested-australian-crawl/news-story/30d62da5fe67c3a0a62a967da18c3687

Silvestre, J., Silvestre, M., & de Brito, J. (2016). Revew on concrete nanotechnology. European Journal of Environmental and Civil Engineering, 20(4), 455-485.