A new leafy pedestrian boulevard has opened in the heart of Brisbane

The central strip of Albert Street had been shut for seven years during construction of a huge underground Cross River Rail station, but this week the fences were removed, revealing a wide walkway.

In 2019, part of Albert Street was closed to cars , with authorities explaining it was one of the quietest city streets for vehicle traffic.

Just 400 cars used Albert Street in the morning rush, compared with 1200 on Elizabeth Street.

During construction, people walked along the edges of the street, but a 102-metre section between Elizabeth and Charlotte streets has now reopened as a shared zone.

It is shaded by 26 new trees, 12 benches, water bubblers, bike racks and garden beds filled with more than 41 subtropical species.

The boulevard is part of a “green spine” vision for Albert Street, featuring a tree-lined pedestrian corridor running from the City Botanic Gardens in the south of the CBD to Roma Street Parklands in the north, with sections of a public plaza close to the train station’s main entrance to open in stages.

The final walkway as part of the Cross River Rail project will be 245 metres long, paved with 80,500 tiles, and shaded by more than 70 trees, with an extra 5800 plants to complete the subtropical feel.

Pedestrians have priority on Albert Street and cyclists are asked to ride slowly, according to an information flyer uploaded by the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority.

Vehicles can still enter the top section from Elizabeth Street to use the Royal Albert Hotel car park, with a 10km/h speed limit in place.

Unlike Queen Street Mall, where riding bikes and scooters is banned, people are allowed to ride on Albert Street.

The Brisbane CBD Bicycle User Group said the new space was “more welcoming than general traffic lanes and traffic noise”, but expressed disappointment that there was no separation between cyclists and pedestrians.

Work continues on Albert Street between Elizabeth and Mary streets, outside the new underground station’s main entrance, with the rest of the green spine expected to be finished this year.

The Albert Street train station will undergo years of testing before opening to passengers in 2029 .

This is expected to cause a surge in pedestrian activity in the area, with the upgrade to cater for tens of thousands of people passing through daily.