The ACT Government has released a transport study that claims a light rail line linking Gungahlin and Canberra’s city centre could cost up to $860 million.
The City to Gungahlin Transit Corridor Study is investigating the feasibility of replacing the existing Red Rapid bus service between Gungahlin and City with a light rail transit (LRT) or bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor along Northbourne Avenue and Flemington Road.
The project aims to deliver ‘high quality, fast public transport down one of the City’s busiest corridors, providing more incentive for people to use public transport and helping manage congestion as the corridor population continues to grow’.
The study said a rail line would cost $700-$860 million and could take ‘at least five years to plan and build’.
The study said a bus rapid transit along the commuter corridor could be built for $360 million.
Environment Minister Simon Corbell said:
“You can for example develop bus rapid transit and then transition it to light rail over a period of time.
“So you can for example build a bus rapid transit corridor which provides a dedicated right of way, dedicated roadway for the buses separating them from the general traffic.
“You can build the dedicated bus stations and then convert all of that corridor to light rail at a later point in time when it’s economically feasible to do so.”
