Construction crews in Canberra have installed the first track for Light Rail Stage 2A at the intersection of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue, approximately one year after work began to extend the network to Commonwealth Park. The 1.7-kilometre extension is intended to connect the current network with new stops at City West, the Australian National University (ANU), New Acton, Commonwealth Park, and Lake Burley Griffin.
Return to Normal Services and Ongoing Construction
The ACT Government confirmed that light rail services between Alinga Street and Sandford Street will return to normal operation from January 24. Temporary platform arrangements at the city bus interchange will remain in place until February 1.
Utility relocation and upgrade works on Northbourne Avenue and London Circuit are nearing completion. Northbourne Avenue works are in their final stages, though the road is not expected to reopen to traffic for several months. Future trackwork is scheduled for London Circuit West and Commonwealth Avenue.
Infrastructure and Fleet Upgrades
Planned construction for this year includes stops at Edinburgh Avenue, City South, and Commonwealth Park. Installation of "green track," which uses turf and groundcover to integrate the track with the landscape and mitigate noise and dust, is scheduled to begin later in the year on London Circuit and Commonwealth Avenue. Additional infrastructure will include new traffic signals, street lighting, retaining walls, paving, asphalting, and landscaping.
Testing and commissioning of the new line will follow construction, with the first passenger services to the new city stops planned for 2028. The light rail fleet is being prepared for wire-free operation between Alinga Street and Commonwealth Park. Five Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) have been upgraded with on-board energy storage systems (OESS) for wire-free travel, with 14 more scheduled to be retrofitted. Five new LRVs are pre-fitted with OESS units, and four are already in service.
Government Statements on Project Timelines
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr stated that extending light rail is part of a plan to improve public transport, create new facilities, and revitalize city center infrastructure, alongside projects such as the Lyric Theatre and Canberra Aquatic Centre. Transport Minister Chris Steel confirmed Stage 2A remains on schedule for operational services to Commonwealth Park by 2028 and acknowledged community patience during construction and the use of bus replacement services.
Broader Infrastructure Program Adjustments
Separately, the ACT Government has announced it will adjust its infrastructure program to save $700 million over four years. Health and housing supply projects—including the new Northside Hospital at Bruce and public and affordable housing—will be prioritized. Some projects will be deferred, including health, emergency services, and sports facilities in North Gungahlin.
The Kingston Arts Precinct will be staged, with an initial land release for parking and artist housing, followed by arts facilities at a later date. Light rail to Woden remains in approvals, environmental assessment, and design phases; procurement cannot begin until all approvals and designs are complete.
Chief Minister Barr stated the government is not scrapping projects but needs to complete the current backlog before starting new work. He noted that infrastructure spending will return to a level below one billion dollars per year, comparable to pre-COVID-19 pandemic spending.
Barr cited external factors including labour shortages, supply chain issues, and the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games as prompting these changes. Future infrastructure spending will focus on repairing aging assets rather than new builds.
Independent economist Saul Eslake found that the territory's fiscal deterioration over the past decade was due to conscious policy decisions.