Gold Coast light rail has injected $170 million to the local economy in 18 months of construction.

CEO Phil Mumford said Gold Coasters delivering the project for their own city was a commitment the consortium had held from the first shovel in the ground.

“We are hitting targets of more than 90 per cent of workers from the local area and more than 80 per cent of those workers are Gold Coast residents by postcode,” Mr Mumford said.

“From traffic controllers and heavy machine operators to office staff and an operations workforce, GoldLinQ and its consortium partners are providing short and long-term employment opportunities.”

Mr Mumford said with an average of 700 workers on the Gold Coast light rail works sites each day, local companies played a significant role in their own city building this infrastructure.

Black Widow Civil is one sub-contractor on the project, providing employment for about 60 local families and supplying light to heavy machinery to build the light rail system.

Managing Director Lee Andrews started the company 13 years ago on the Gold Coast, and after largely escaping the global financial crisis by heading north to find work, has worked with Gold Coast light rail for the past year.

“I started the business myself with one bobcat and a tipper and now run the company with my wife,” Mr Andrews said.

“When the GFC hit, we headed north to secure work on a rail project and have worked our way back to the Gold Coast.

“Working on the Gold Coast light rail has given us the security we needed in this tough economic climate. “It is great to see a project with so many local companies and local workers across the worksites.

“To work for such a professional company like McConnell Dowell and be involved in the construction of the light rail project is such a highlight for our company and all our employees.”

With more than 90 per cent of goods, services and employees locally sourced, Gold Coast light rail is contributing to the local economy significantly in not only its three-year construction phase with McConnell Dowell and Bombardier but also into its 15-year operations phase with KDR Gold Coast.