The Brisbane City Council has boosted hopes that the city will see at least one more pedestrian and cycle crossing of the Brisbane River within the next decade with moves to resume a parcel of land at Toowong needed for the structure.
Plans for the Toowong to West End Green Bridge were thrown into disarray after the council revealed it had to delay construction, blaming the decision on the cost of recovery from the February floods.
However, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has confirmed the council has started the ball rolling on acquiring the landing site for the bridge on the Toowong side.
The site, where the ABC used to have its Brisbane headquarters before a cancer cluster scare in the mid-2000s, is currently owned by the Consolidate Properties Group of developers, which has plans to build up to three apartment towers nearby.
Schrinner copped trenchant criticism over the decision to delay the bridge’s construction, with the Labor opposition suggesting it may never be built.
However, the lord mayor said the council was “eager” to preserve the land for the project.
“We have paused our two green bridges connecting to West End while we concentrate on Brisbane’s rebuild and recovery following the devastating floods,” he said on Monday.
“However, we remain committed to building these two bridges which are strongly supported by local residents.
“Buying the Toowong location now so it is available when we are ready to proceed just makes sense.
“While this is just a small section of the site, riverside property isn’t going to get cheaper in the long term so making this purchase now is in the best interests of ratepayers.”
Council has also had to put back completion of the Kangaroo Point Green Bridge, currently under construction, saying the floods affected the original date of late 2023.
That bridge is now due to open in early 2024, as is the smaller Breakfast Creek Green Bridge.
Schrinner said he was confident the 280-metre Toowong to West End span, which will have a landing site at Orleigh Park near Forbes St, would attract funding from other levels of government.
The Kangaroo Point project has received $60 million in federal government funding as part of the SEQ City Deal.
A preliminary business case for the Toowong span, released last year, stated the bridge would improve mobility in a congested part of the city.
“Without investment in alternate transport modes, there will be insufficient capacity to cater for increased demand resulting from population and employment growth, and the significant influx of tourists, athletes and officials expected as part of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” it said.
Another planned green bridge would link West End with St Lucia, but is contingent on funding.
Article source: inqld.com.au
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