In brief:

• Major stormwater upgrades are underway in the city.
• The upgrades are part of the Light Rail Stage 2A project.
• This work will better protect the city centre against flooding.
• Once it is complete, construction can begin on light rail tracks and stops to Commonwealth Park.

A major stormwater upgrade is underway in the city centre. The work is part of the Light Rail Stage 2A project.

Once complete, it will help protect the city against more frequent and intense rainfall.

What’s happening behind the fences?

Teams are installing over 3 km of new high-capacity drainage pipes underground.

These are designed to handle a 1-in-100-year storm event as well as a 20% rise in rainfall intensity.

Why the upgrades?

Poorly managed stormwater can cause flash flooding. Canberra’s city centre is especially vulnerable to this.

Stormwater is rainwater that runs off hard surfaces like roads and rooftops. It then settles in soil, rivers or the ocean.

This can carry pollutants into waterways and create imbalances in natural environments.

The city centre needs sophisticated drainage systems that can cope with environmental changes over time.

Upgrading stormwater drainage now will help protect the city and Lake Burley Griffin into the future.

What else is being done?

There are also complex utility upgrades taking place on Northbourne Avenue.

These will connect the new stormwater drainage pipes – and other underground services – from London Circuit East to London Circuit West.

Once utilities and stormwater are in place, civil and services work on the track and new light rail stops can start. This will happen later this year.

What about the green track?

The green track is another feature of the light rail extension that will help protect the city against flash flooding.

On a green track, the light rail line is embedded in specially selected grass and groundcover plants instead of concrete.

A permeable surface, it will absorb rainwater, which will help ease pressure on stormwater systems.

Canberrans can now see the green track prototype on display at the National Arboretum.

All this work will have multiple benefits. It will:

• boost water efficiency
• make city streets greener
• reduce flood risk
• protect the city from extreme weather.

Where to find out more

Light Rail Stage 2A will extend the light rail system from Alinga Street to Commonwealth Park.

• Find out more about the project on the Built for CBR website.
• View construction impacts on the online construction impacts map.
• Visit the Built for CBR website to stay up to date on all travel impacts.

Read more like this:

• Light rail green track prototype complete
• Milestone for the Raising London Circuit Project
• Construction begins on Light Rail Stage 2A

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