Construction on two green bridges linking Brisbane’s inner-city suburbs is slated to begin this year, but the location of three other planned bridges remains unclear.
Key points:
- Brisbane City Council pledged $550 million for five green bridges in 2019
- Two bridges begin construction this year and two others are out for consultation
- A planned bridge at Bellbowrie has been scrapped
In 2019, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner made a $550 million pledge to build five new green bridges, catering for pedestrians and cyclists, to reduce vehicle traffic and improve the city’s connectivity.
At Tuesday’s public and active transport committee meeting, Brisbane City councillors were given an update on the progress of the green bridges program.
Public and active transport committee chairman Ryan Murphy told the committee the council wanted state or federal funding support alongside the $550 million already committed.
The $190 million Kangaroo Point green bridge will be 470 metres long and 6.8 metres wide, with separated cycling and pedestrian lanes, linking the inner-city suburb with the City Botanic Gardens.
Construction on the Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek bridges will begin this year, with the council now out to tender for both.
Consultation for two West End bridges
Community consultation on the bridges from West End to St Lucia and West End to Toowong was extended following concerns the December-January consultation was too short.
For the West End bridges, suggested locations put forward by Brisbane City Council would either place the landing pads on public parks, such as Orleigh Park in West End and Guyatt Park in St Lucia, or on private property.
A concept image for the St Lucia to West End green bridge(Supplied: Brisbane City Council)
Greens councillor Jonathan Sri, in whose ward both West End bridges would sit, said it appeared the third option for the St Lucia bridge — between Keith Street in St Lucia and Boundary Street in West End — was most supported.
“I’ve heard from several residents who’ve said they think the Option C location for the St Lucia bridge is preferable from a transport perspective, but they have concerns about the scale and design of the exact alignment proposed by council, and the associated home resumptions,” Cr Sri said.
“The vast majority of residents seem to prefer alignment Option A for the Toowong Bridge, and it seems like the Toowong bridge in general has a lot more support.”
A concept image for the Toowong to West End landing pad for a green bridge(Supplied: Brisbane City Council)
Option A for the Toowong bridge would see the bridge land at 600 Coronation Drive — the former ABC Towoong site now owned by developers Sunland, but put up for sale late last year.
Last year, Cr Schrinner ruled out purchasing the 600 Coronation Drive site saying the cost would be prohibitive, but said the council would consider resuming a portion of the land for a green bridge if needed.
LNP councillor James Mackay, in whose ward of Walter-Taylor the two bridges would land, recently spoke at a rally for a group opposed to a possible Guyatt Park alignment for the St Lucia to West End Bridge.
Cr Mackay referred queries about his community’s opinions to the lord mayor’s office.
Fifth green bridge site unknown
In mid-2020 a fifth proposed bridge, from Belbowrie to Wacol, was scrapped after several rounds of community consultation found little support.
The council is preparing options for a fifth bridge location, the committee heard.
A concept image of the Breakfast Creek green bridge linking Kingsford Smith Drive and Newstead House(Supplied: Brisbane City Council)
Deputy Labor leader Kara Cook in a statement said she had lodged a petition with more than a thousand signatures calling for a bridge on the eastern side of the river.
Cr Cook said a bridge in her area — around Bulimba and Hawthorne connecting across to New Farm or Teneriffe — had been mooted since at least 1925.
Technical challenges are greater for the eastern section of the river as any new bridge must be of a height to allow ships through and would span a wider section of water.
Article Source: www.abc.net.au
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