NW Busway [discussion/foam]

[aldonius]

Assuming we had the need for a dedicated "NW Busway" some time in the future, beyond dedicated bus lanes on existing surface roads, what route and form would it take and why?
How would it interact with other infrastructure, both existing (INB, FG) and 'planned' (Trouts Rd and Alderley - Roma St tunnel)?

[James]

If you look in IRTP 1997, you will see the notion of a Western Busway was noted, but never acted on.

I do not support a SW busway to the Centenary suburbs, mainly because it would just duplicate the railway line and if it followed the Western Freeway, bypass Indooroopilly Shopping Centre. In effect, it'd be useless outside peak.

Going directly west there is a lot of difficult terrain and a busway would run into Mt Coot-tha, so that leaves a NW corridor. Trouts Rd 'owns' the Kelvin Grove Rd corridor when (and if) it gets built, so I think the only viable terrain for the NW Busway would be Waterworks Road - which makes a lot of sense. I imagine it would branch a bit before Normanby - and may very well contain some on-street running.

I don't completely support the idea, but I believe the Eastern Busway bi-artics should enter the CBD and then proceed elsewhere. I don't see there being a very good market for a Carindale - Indooroopilly via UQ busway either, given not even the Toowong - Buranda tunnel wasn't built, and all the TransApex tunnels were modelled on overly optimistic forecasts.

[Golliwog]

I haven't used the 385 in peak in quite some time, but from memory, the transit lanes along the outer part of Waterworks Rd act fairly well to get buses through the traffic.

If you were to keep it on Waterworks Rd, you'd have a space issue around the Wardell St intersection (which as I understand it is why currently the T2 lanes cut out either side of it). Other than that though I think the only work would be providing more indented bus stops so buses that don't need to stop can get past easily.

But another corridor that could be considered would be Old Northern Rd to Albany Creek/Eatons Hill. I don't think you'd go all the way into the city, rather just to Enoggera/Alderley Station (or depending on the construction timing, to one of the Trouts Rd stations).