The LNP’s biggest issue with the project is it hasn’t happened yet.  Another $25 million in federal and state funding towards another feasibility study suggests they have reason to be cynical. On the other hand, a lack of vision in previous governments hasn’t been only an ALP failure.

To date there is little community opposition to the proposal, probably because such little detail is available that people can’t yet see if their own backyards will be impacted.  That could change over the coming months, particularly as residents of Fairfield and surrounding suburbs take an interest in where the underground tunnel might emerge.

Other obstacles?  It’s going to take money, sure – the most recent estimate puts the investment at just over $8 billion, and the feasibility process includes the expected business case analysis.  But compared with some other infrastructure projects touted for the south east corner, both the necessity of the project and the value of its outcomes seem pretty clear.

It’s going to take vision, and courage, and single-mindedness, beyond the announcements.  Campbell Newman displayed these in spades when he pushed ahead with the Clem7.  Cross river rail is a legacy project that needs to proceed in spite of political opposition, or worse, community apathy.

I’d suggest, then, that it’s also going to take readers of this journal – particularly those reading it on overcrowded public transport – to take an informed and active interest. 

It’s important to recognize this project is still only a proposal.  The latest feasibility study continues to mid-2011, still some handy months short of state election campaigning.  There’s plenty of time to strangle it in intractable engineering difficulties, or to drown it in negative environmental impacts if it looks unpopular.  There’s plenty of time to announce other projects to take priority, if it doesn’t look sexy enough.

On the other hand, if the community (that’s you and me) got excited about the project’s potential; if we pushed the government for answers and solutions at key points in the study; if we sent the message we thought this project was worth investing in, we might actually see a good idea, long overdue, come to fruition.

The government has called for community feedback on the preferred locations for entrances and tunnels and on how the public areas should look.  The surest way to persuade this government – and the ones which follow it – to stop studying and start delivering is to add your voice to that consultation.  Find out what the plans are, and give your opinion. 

 The Institute’s transport forum, Derailing Traffic Chaos, is on tonight at 6.15pm.  Details here.