Clem Jones Tunnel (formerly North-South Bypass Tunnel)

Project overview*

Managing department Brisbane City Council
Project status Project completed
Cost $2 billion
Location/s Brisbane, Queensland

The 6.8 kilometres Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7) provides connections to Lutwyche Road, Inner City Bypass, the Airport Link Tunnel (2012), Shaftson Avenue, Ipswich Road and Pacific Motorway via twin 4.8 kilometres long two lane tunnels.

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Works included:

  • 18 bridges
  • 4.8 kilometres twin, two lane tunnels
  • two ventilation stations (located at Bowen Hills and Woolloongabba)
  • three story tunnel control centre
  • automatic traffic incident detection
  • closed-circuit television monitoring systems
  • thermal detection and fire safety systems
  • smoke control systems
  • cross passages between the tunnels every 120 meters
  • air quality monitoring
  • variable speed and directional signs
  • emergency telephones throughout the tunnel
  • emergency barriers at the tunnel entry points.

This project forms part of the Queensland Government's South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program. The Department of Infrastructure and Planning is responsible for the delivery of the South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan and Program projects. The Clem Jones Tunnel or CLEM7 (formerly known as the North South Bypass Tunnel) is one of these projects.

The project is part of an overall strategy to improve the efficiency of Brisbane's road network, consistent with long-established and accepted regional and city-wide transport planning objectives. It is one part of the implementation of the Transport Plan for Brisbane 2002-2016.

Environmental impact statement process

The project was declared a Significant Project by the Coordinator-General and an Environmental impact statement (EIS) was released for public comment period from February to April 2005. A supplementary report to the EIS was released on 16 June 2005.

On 25 August 2005, the Coordinator-General completed his evaluation of the EIS and determined that the project should proceed, subject to a number of conditions. To view the Coordinator-General's Report, follow the links below.

Coordinator-General's Change Report July 2006

In May 2006, BCC asked the Coordinator-General to evaluate proposed changes to the project following the selection of the preferred proponent.

On 21 July 2006 the Coordinator-General finalised the Coordinator-General's Change Report evaluating the environmental effects of the proposed change and its effects on the project.

The Coordinator-General concluded that:

  • the proposed changes to the project are, on the whole, beneficial and seek to minimise impacts through enhancements to the project design, construction methodology and/or post-construction and operational management initiatives.
  • for the most part, the conditions imposed in the Coordinator-General's Report remain appropriate and sufficient to ensure that potential impacts arising from the construction and operation of the project are minimised and/or managed appropriately.

The Change Report amended certain conditions relating to spoil placement, traffic management, urban regeneration and general construction.

Unless amended by the Change Report, the conditions imposed in the Coordinator-General's Report (25 August 2005) apply for the undertaking of the project.

Coordinator-General's Change Report October 2008

On 6 May 2008, the proponent asked the Coordinator-General to consider a further change to the project under s.35D of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971.

The request is to allow spoil from the Bowen Hills worksite to be transported to the spoil disposal site in the Australia Trade Coast and Brisbane Airport areas at Eagle Farm between 6:30 am Sunday and 6:30 am Monday (excluding public holidays) from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.

A notice of request for change to project conditions report was prepared outlining the anticipated impact of this request.

Submissions to the Coordinator-General on the change request were invited until close of business 23 June 2008. The proponent prepared a report responding to submissions and this was received by the Coordinator-General on 29 July 2008. A copy of the report is available:

On 4 August 2008 the proponent made a further request to the Coordinator-General to consider three other proposed changes to the project or conditions of the project under s.35D of the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971. A copy of the notice requesting and evaluation of the changes is available:

The changes requested are to increase the height of the southern ventilation outlet at Woolloongabba, and to amend the conditions in the Coordinator-General's report in relation to construction blasting and the requirements for locating the operational air quality monitoring stations.

On the 13 October 2008 the Coordinator-General finalised the Coordinator-General's Change Report evaluating the environmental effects of the three proposed changes to conditions and one proposed change to the project.

In relation to the proposed change to spoil haulage hours, the Coordinator-General decided not to allow any change to the permitted spoil haulage hours. In making this decision the Coordinator-General considered, among other things, the submissions received during the submission period for the proposed change as well as the substantial increase in the number of projects being constructed in the Brisbane area in the past few years and the cumulative impacts these projects have had on the community.

In relation to the other changes proposed, the Coordinator-General has determined that they can proceed. Two conditions of the Coordinator-General's Report and Change Report (21 July 2006) have been amended to reflect these changes, and these amended conditions are in Appendix 1 to the Coordinator-General's Change Report (13 October 2008).

Resources

Further information

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.