On the fast track to the future we can all dream about a Jetson-style flying car to get us to work.

Key points: Queensland Transport Minister says one river crossing for 3.5 million people is unsustainable

Queensland Transport Minister says one river crossing for 3.5 million people is unsustainable Fast rail links to outer areas like Ripley are still at least a decade away

Fast rail links to outer areas like Ripley are still at least a decade away Up to 47,000 road users will choose rail instead of driving by 2036

Earlier this year, Uber announced Melbourne as the first major city its flying taxis may one day be buzzing over, with a trial starting next year.

It's the kind of futuristic congestion-busting concept Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said he is watching with interest.

For now though, his focus is firmly underground with the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail (CRR) from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills that will stretch for 10 kilometres, and include a 6-kilometre tunnel under the Brisbane River and CBD.

The CRR is being hailed as a state-of-the-art congestion-slashing project that would allow more trains to run more often with a London-style "turn-up-and-go" smart ticketing system — but it's still five years away.

Cross River Rail's design concept for the exterior of Roma Street Station. ( Supplied: Queensland Government )

The project will include four new underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street where the old concrete jungle "Transit Centre" will be demolished to make way for a light-filled 21st century transport hub.

Associate Professor Matthew Burke from Griffith University's Cities Research Institute said the CRR was desperately needed.

"We have a rail system that should be the envy of every city in the world really, over 200 kilometres of track for a city of our size," he said.

"And it performs so badly because of capacity constraints in the inner city.

"We can't add new services on the south side until we get that capacity and Cross River Rail is a pretty good solution.

"Unfortunately the way it is being marketed we see it just as an inner-city project with fly throughs of new stations when the main beneficiaries are all out in the suburbs, really."

But fast rail links to outer areas like Ripley are still at least a decade away.

A Roma Street Station interior design concept for the Cross River Rail project. ( Supplied: Queensland Government )

Mr Bailey said Queensland decided to go it alone without Federal Government funding because one current river crossing for 3.5 million people was unsustainable.

"The first priority has to be to unlock the network," he said.

"Having our first genuine underground line as well as the exhibition line coming on full time, we will really have two new lines coming in, connecting up the system so much faster and better."

The State Government estimates 47,000 road users will choose rail instead of driving by 2036, with the CRR providing an extra 18,000 seats in peak hour.

Metro rapid bus system planned for 2023

The CRR was to be complimented by a new Metro, a high-frequency bus rapid transit system, that would service the CBD every three minutes during peak times.

The Metro would be able to transport 22,000 passengers an hour, through two separate routes which will serve 18 stations, including 11 interchange stations and is set for completion in 2023.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 39 seconds 39 s Brisbane's south side is a busy bus hub

The Metro was first mooted by the council four years ago, but it has not decided on what kind of "mega bus" to use, let alone started the upgrade.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner blames Labor for the delays, arguing it was standing in the way of the project.

"We have more than 270 meetings with the State Government on Brisbane Metro, it is a very frustrating process, it should not be this hard," he said.

"All we need from them is a few forms to be signed, a few approvals to be given and their cooperation."

However, Mr Bailey said his team had been trying to work with the council "because both projects have to integrate into a much bigger public transport network".

One design concept for a new bus to run on the Brisbane Metro system. ( Supplied: Queensland Government )

Professor Burke said it was disappointing the Metro had been held up due to "argy bargy" between the LNP-run council and the Labor State Government.

"The busway is at its capacity," he said.

"Those bus queues you see on the Victoria Street Bridge where people are just trapped, that operating model is over — we need to move forward."

What about the M1 duplication?

If you're sick of the snail paced commute on the M1 during peak hour — the Coomera Connector is in sight.

The 45-kilometre corridor will run from Nerang-Broadbeach Road, Nerang to Logan and Pacific Motorway interchanges.

The route, east of the current M1, has been gazetted but there's no money to pay for it.

Mr Bailey said his team were building a "business case" for the six-lane duplication but needed Federal Government funding for it to become a reality.

"It is not a pipe dream, this corridor," he said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 24 seconds 24 s Proposed Coomera Connector to run parallel to Pacific Motorway

"I don't think it is 20 years away at all, I think we are going to need it well before that," Mr Bailey said.

But University of Queensland planning expert, Professor Neil Sipe, has doubts about the project as a congestion buster.

"I think it suggests we have lost the battle if we are going to build a duplicate M1," he said.

"The money should be spent on rail services, better rail services, express services.

"Duplicating M1, all that is going to do is make money for property owners close to that road.

"I was here when the M1 was expanded and now it is pretty much like it was 20 years ago.

"Now they are going to build a duplicate. That might get us 10 years, but in 10 years it will be jammed as well.

"Wouldn't we better off to be using something more sustainable like rail, duplicate the line that is established and we can run an express service?"

Sunshine Coast train service 'abysmal'

Commuters on the Sunshine Coast cannot wait to get aboard the region's rail duplication upgrade — assuming it too is actually built.

The State Government said it had begun work on a design, and that mapping and survey works were underway.

But once again, funding is an issue. Queensland committed $160 million (20 per cent of the cost) and the Australian Government has kicked in $390 million (about half the expected $800 million cost).

Rail advocate Jeff Addison says the Sunshine Coast duplication is needed desperately. ( ABC News )

The plan is to duplicate the 20-kilometre line from Beerburrum to Landsborough, with station upgrades, new park-and-ride facilities and rail passing loops between Landsborough and Nambour.

Rail advocate Jeff Addison said it was desperately needed, with peak-hour cancellations and delays all too common.

The day the ABC caught up with him at Palmwoods Station, the 7:25am citybound train was delayed by 30 minutes due to "technical difficulties", and the early morning Gympie North to Brisbane service was cancelled due to a "rostering issue".

"Sunshine Coast commuters should not be held to ransom while they squabble over a funding deal," he said.

"Their bosses get sick of people telling them I am going to be in late today because my train has been delayed. It is abysmal."

The Olympics 2032 bid could see a bigger and better northern line upgrade fast-tracked after claims the region would not cope with the sheer volume of visitors without a regional fast rail.

Opposition Olympic bid spokesman John-Paul Langbroek said not enough was being done to solve the "infrastructure crisis".

"Something like an Olympics bid could ensure we get infrastructure thanks to an improved city deal," he said.

Plans to build more river crossings like the Kurilpa Bridge have not been funded. ( Daisy Rajasingham: User submitted )

$550m green bridges plan unfunded

Brisbane City Council has plans to build five new green bridges across the city to reduce congestion, at a cost of more than half a billion dollars.

The list includes a pedestrian and cycle bridge at Kangaroo Point to the CBD and two West End bridges — one to Toowong and another to St Lucia — for pedestrians, cyclists and buses.

Construction would take up to 10 years, with council paying at least two thirds towards the project.

It needs the rest of the money to come from State and Federal governments, and once again no deal has been reached.

'Poor choices' mean Queensland is lagging

The Opposition said Queensland's proportional infrastructure spend was lower than any other state and it was now forced to play catch up.

Professor Burke said one problem was that poorly planned multi-billion-dollar projects such as the Clem 7 tunnel sucked up vital infrastructure spending.

"We were misallocating funds on projects, certain tunnels very few people have used and we have really under invested in our public transport network," he said.

"And now there is no silver bullet on the horizon I am afraid for traffic congestion.

Far fewer cars use Brisbane's Clem7 tunnel than planning projections had suggested. ( ABC News: Giulio Saggin )

"Congestion is something we are going to be living with for at least the next 30 years I would imagine," he said.

"But we are more on track than where we were 10 years ago."

Labor has committed to upgrading the Ipswich Motorway and the current M1 from Brisbane to the New South Wales border, with around $8 billion committed to projects in South East Queensland.

But there are concerns families moving to outer lying areas like Ripley, Jimboomba and Flagstone were being neglected under current plans.

Infrastructure Australia's latest report confirmed congestion would cost the region $6 billion a year because successive governments had failed to keep pace with rapid population growth.

It has forecast a 21 per cent rise in road use by 2031 with delays running into thousands of hours a year for frustrated drivers.