RAIL - Back On Track Forum

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Couriermail --> Worst congested roads mapped: South East Queensland's grim gridlock future $

QuoteSouth East Queensland's transport system is on the brink of collapse, with industry heads begging the government to commit to long term planning before population numbers explode to Sydney levels.

Latest traffic data from the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) identified more than 260 problematic hot spots in the south east Corner, with major motorways labelled the worst congestion areas in the state.

Topping the list was the Pacific Motorway, followed by the Bruce Highway and Centenary and Gateway Motorways, with RACQ also identifying several sprawl issues in outer suburbs due to insufficient public transport networks. ...

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/worst-congested-roads-mapped-south-east-queenslands-grim-gridlock-future/news-story/c1e15aadf8b2502d61855029ac912054

Queensland's 10 worst roads for congestion

1. Pacific Motorway

2. Bruce Highway

3. Centenary Motorway

4. Caloundra Road

5. Gateway Motorway

6. Christensen Road / Stapylton Jacobs Well Road / Exit 38

7. Moggill Road

8. Ipswich Motorway

9. Gympie Road

10. Sunshine Motorway

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1675131363379523590

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1675132742693175296

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1675254388628275200

https://twitter.com/MelbOnTransit/status/1675254726617862144

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1675255653227728896

Join in everybody !!!                  

Sent to all outlets:

Comment on Sunday Mail article " South East Queensland's grim gridlock future "

2nd July 2023

Greetings,

Interesting article in the Sunday Mail today "Worst congested roads mapped: South East Queensland's grim gridlock future https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/worst-congested-roads-mapped-south-east-queenslands-grim-gridlock-future/news-story/c1e15aadf8b2502d61855029ac912054

The article reports the latest traffic data from the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) which identifies 260 problematic congestion hot spots in SEQ.

Obviously the RACQ wants more roads but also public transport, quote: " This is not rocket science. It's the radial roads which are all congested, and we really need to be focused on public transport because public transport gives you the density of moving people. ... "

Exactly, unless we sort out our public transport for SEQ, and Queensland generally, the future is grim.

A key pre-requisite is a proper public transport authority for Queensland (see Public Transport Queensland https://railbotforum.org/yourls/5q [FB]).
Unless we get a proper public transport authority and sort out public transport, progress is going to be slow, fragmented and unsatisfactory. 

The " car free games " are approaching faster than the old Darra flyer!

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Facebook ...

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1675284393903136768

^^ An absolutely devastating data analysis Bailey et al. can't spin out of because it isn't an opinion, it's a fact.

'Making things difficult': New survey finds QLD roads aren't match fit for 2032 Olympics
Infrastructure for one Aussie state is on the brink of collapsing, sparking major concerns for a huge upcoming event.

> https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/making-things-difficult-new-survey-finds-qld-roads-arent-match-fit-for-2032-olympics/news-story/d2c63c828589679cb3772156dcb637be

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1675504761230229505

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1675513630937452545

RACQ has good data analytics capability and their policy officers hold PhDs.

33 km/hr on the M1 is consistent with the  Downs-Thompson Paradox

The 111 average speed is about 30 km/hr during peak hour. This suggests the SE Busway and M1 converge on a single same speed across both systems during peak.

You could also think of this convergence of speed as a case of The Law of One Price where people take the faster option until there is no faster option left.

The only other option I can see (unpopular) that would be effective is introducing road user charges with a peak hour decongestion surcharge. This might be more of an option as electric cars displace petrol and fuel excise revenue is lost.

ABC News --> Why do we keep building roads?

QuoteMillions of Australians face the daily frustration of delayed commutes, particularly on busy motorways. But as governments spend billions continually upgrading roads, experts say that might not be the best solution.  ...

Quote from: ozbob on July 03, 2023, 15:12:55 PMABC News --> Why do we keep building roads?

QuoteMillions of Australians face the daily frustration of delayed commutes, particularly on busy motorways. But as governments spend billions continually upgrading roads, experts say that might not be the best solution.  ...

Even this article (which is far far far better than most) still established early on that this is a choice about "best" solution

"...experts say that might not be the best solution"

Trying to bust congestion with road buildings is not a solution

It is the cause!!!

Grattan Institute is on the money.

"In the end, the only efficient way to deal with congestion is to price it."

The cost of a toll gantry is much cheaper than any sort of major construction. And it would generate revenue rather than consume it.

Maybe that revenue could be spent back on transport.

Of course, the transport minister would then be voted out. So he's against it.

QuoteQueensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey has ruled out congestion fees, but says investment is needed in all forms of transport.

^ Thinking about this further, you wouldn't necessarily need to toll all lanes on the M1 either.

You could imagine a HOT lane proposal that applies during peak hour.

That would give motorists a choice about toll or no toll.

That is of course, if the lane wasn't needed for a new faster train corridor to the Gold Coast...

Sent to all outlets:

Petty Transport Politics whilst SEQ Suffocates on Traffic

4th July 2023

RAIL Back On Track says the petty twitter argument on the weekend between Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey and BCC Transport Committee Chair Cr Ryan Murphy, is disappointing ( https://twitter.com/ryansrumblings/status/1675271110362005505 ).

SEQ is suffocating on ever growing congestion, yet the two key elected transport officials cannot stop arguing on social media long enough to recognise that the state of transport in the region is both their faults.

The reason is staring right at them in their transport budgets and priorities. Both the State Government and Brisbane City Council have prioritised investment in "congestion busting" road projects over the last 30 years.  The congesting choking SEQ is not due to a lack of investment or a failure to plan. It is the known outcome of their budgets and priorities. It has been long recognised within the transport and city planning professions that building more road capacity creates even more congestion, not less.

Whilst Minister Bailey and Cr Murphy argue about which public transport project is doing worse than the other, they are missing the bigger picture that their own transport budgets and plans are creating ever worse congestion.

It is way past time for both the State Government and Brisbane City Council to stop the political bickering and recognise they:

. created today's traffic mess not failed to plan for it;

. their transport budgets are just making it worse; and

. need to collaborate as mature adults to complete an urgent about-face on transport and city planning.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Reference:

Public Transport Investment Must be Catalyst for SEQ Planning About Face 5th April 2022
https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=14604.0

Facebook ...

TMR explores more road-based solutions, this time an augmentation of the main road between Maroochydore and Noosa (yes, yet another planning study) to be completed by end of 2023.

https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/maroochydore-noosa-road-route-strategy-and-link-plan

Nautilus Study anyone? Helloooooooo ....

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1678870228481228800

Couriermail --> Brisbane takes over from Sydney, Melbourne for Australia's worst traffic $

QuoteBrisbane has overtaken Sydney and Melbourne for the worst road congestion in Australia, a report has revealed.

More Brisbane residents are driving to work in 2023 compared to last year, choosing to battle crippling congestion 3.9 days of the week, Transurban's mobility trend report says.

The number of commuters has now surpassed Melbourne and Sydney, where drivers take to the roads only 3.6 or 3.8 days of the week respectively.

Brisbanites were also found to be most bothered by rising congestion levels and most concerned about worsening traffic conditions, revealing they had little faith in the state government's ability to provide infrastructure that keeps up with population growth. ...

So... how's Clem 7, AirportLink, Go Between Bridge, widened ICB, widened Kingsford Smith Drive, duplicated Gateway, and Legacy Way doing?

Weren't they supposed to prevent this from happening? These capacity increases are barely keeping pace.

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1694044823643394285

^

https://www.smh.com.au/interactive/hub/media/tearout-excerpt/19723/TCL_Transurban_FY23_investor_presentation.pdf

https://twitter.com/tamhus8/status/1694624392209432852

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1694768062548037649

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1695194259370975601

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1695193534385574210

Brisbane Times --- Nundah on steroids': New vision for Brisbane's 'alternative CBD

Gympie Road as a tree-lined boulevard with dedicated mass transit lanes in a pedestrian-friendly env by uironment is central to a new vision of Chermside as an "alternative CBD" for Brisbane.

But urban planning think tank Suburban Futures' concept for the northside business hub depends on one major thing: the Gympie Road bypass tunnel going ahead

^^Would be nice and likely to become the next Chatswood.

I like the mini metro vehicles depicted in the artist impressions 😃 ⚡🚍

People can also attend a public forum on this vision held soon, as mentioned in the article.

All doable without the road tunnel! 

And here is the proof...

Oh and this will actually reduce congestion unlike the tunnel which is guaranteed to only increases it!! Remember when Clem 7 and Airport link promised to reduce congestion on surface roads yet now they are more congested than ever!!!

Time for an about face on road building

Only tunnel that needs to be built is a Metro and a real one not a bus called a Metro!!!

https://thecityfix.com/blog/traffic-evaporation-what-really-happens-when-road-space-is-reallocated-from-cars/

Quote from: Jonno on September 07, 2023, 19:15:02 PMAll doable without the road tunnel! 

And here is the proof...

Oh and this will actually reduce congestion unlike the tunnel which is guaranteed to only increases it!! Remember when Clem 7 and Airport link promised to reduce congestion on surface roads yet now they are more congested than ever!!!

Time for an about face on road building

Only tunnel that needs to be built is a Metro and a really one not a bus called a Metro!!!

https://thecityfix.com/blog/traffic-evaporation-what-really-happens-when-road-space-is-reallocated-from-cars/

It will likely reduce traffic overall from Chermside to RBWH on surface roads as it would funnel traffic into the airport link and Clem from Chermside. They should also start thinking about traffic calming between Kedron Brook and Newmarket and Windsor on surface roads as well, if they go ahead with the tunnel from Aspley to Kedron linking with the Airport Link and the Clem 7.

Nundah is a sh%thole in transport design just like this story. Green covered buildings. Gympie road going from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. What dribble. Oh and this hosted forum vision is hosted by a developer and invester lobby group who only care about profits for developers/investors.

And any traffic reduction argument is simply bs. As someone that lives just outside of Brisbane and contributes to rat runs on the Northside the only thing that has changed with the tunnels are surface road rat runs. I'm talking about your Lacey Road/Beams road/ Zillmere road/Newman Road/Shaw Road rat run. These were all roads that trialled bcc left turn on red along with intersections having stop signs replaced with giveway signs and traffic light timing modifications. As soon as you speed up traffic on Gympie road those that rat run will refill that reduction negating any benefit. The tunnels have added extra road lanes on the surface at the same time. Chermside is/has been the major choke point for decades. Removing intersections for Chermside at Gympie road would speed up traffic in the area but if you don't do anything to the public transport network you just wipeout any benefit on the road network as locals still favour driving. It's great having Chermside as a hub with services galore but that becomes pointless if you still have 2 hourly feeder buses (336/337/338) or hourly buses (every other north bus route excluding the 330/340/680). As I've quizzed people on before list any route other than the 680 and the 330/340 that has a standard frequency better than 59 minutes. For bonus points other than the 680 list all the services between bald hills and Petrie that have a 59min frequency or better and I'll let you include peak hour aswell

Quote from: verbatim9 on September 07, 2023, 19:26:33 PM

Quote from: Jonno on September 07, 2023, 19:15:02 PMAll doable without the road tunnel! 

And here is the proof...

Oh and this will actually reduce congestion unlike the tunnel which is guaranteed to only increases it!! Remember when Clem 7 and Airport link promised to reduce congestion on surface roads yet now they are more congested than ever!!!

Time for an about face on road building

Only tunnel that needs to be built is a Metro and a really one not a bus called a Metro!!!

https://thecityfix.com/blog/traffic-evaporation-what-really-happens-when-road-space-is-reallocated-from-cars/

It will likely reduce traffic overall from Chermside to RBWH on surface roads as it would funnel traffic into the airport link and Clem from Chermside. They should also start thinking about traffic calming between Kedron Brook and Newmarket and Windsor on surface roads as well, if they go ahead with the tunnel from Aspley to Kedron linking with the Airport Link and the Clem 7.

seriously after all the evidence presented???

Agree with Jonno but for different reasons. Already did the numbers, busway would take more cars off the road in peak than a toll tunnel.

Suburban Futures' vision for Chermside

The vision is dependent on a tunnel taking through-traffic off Gympie Road.

https://www.smh.com.au/interactive/hub/media/tearout-excerpt/20387/Chermside-2023-report.pdf

Corporate memberships.

https://suburbanfutures.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-24-Suburban-Futures-Corporate-Member-Prospectus.pdf

This is your "think tank". Benefits of corporate membership is being able to influence policies and are invited to government meetings. Which is why developers and investment groups make up a big portion. Not to mention the board members who are volunteers are also owners or employees of investment and property development businesses.

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1702724181576785976?