Greens: Green Victoria Bridge

[ozbob]

'Green Victoria' Bridge – Saving Brisbane $1.5 Billion

> http://itsyourbrisbane.com/commitments/green-victoria-bridge/

The Cultural Centre bus station has reached capacity and is clogging up our whole bus system. The shortage of platform space means that bays aren't dedicated to specific bus routes, resulting in passenger stress and chaos on the platforms in peak times.

Buses queue right across Victoria Bridge, wasting your time and clogging the network. To make matters worse, half of them are not even 50% full. The complicated arrangement of bus and general traffic lanes creates an unsafe and generally unpleasant urban environment through our iconic Arts Precinct.

Your Green Team has an inexpensive solution that addresses these problems and opens up the bus network to allow public transport between more places using frequent services.

The Greens in Council would turn Victoria Bridge 'Green' by redirecting the 800 cars that travel along the bridge daily to the William Jolly Bridge (or the Go Between toll bridge if you're feeling wealthy). Our plan would:

    Enable 2 extra platforms to separate the South East Busway buses from the buses that go from West End to New Farm or Teneriffe
    Allocate bus stops to specific routes to reduce passenger tension
    Add bike lanes, separated from the bus lanes, in both directions
    Free up footpath space for pedestrians and add pedestrian crossings at North Quay and Grey Street

Making Victoria Bridge 'Green' builds bus network capacity, allowing a simple redesign that would easily halve bus congestion at the Cultural Centre station. Your Green Team in council would work with Translink to spread the load around Brisbane, taking more passengers to where they really want to go.

Some suburban buses would connect to busway stops and link across the city. This will stop half-empty buses clogging up Victoria Bridge, improve frequencies and travel time, and allow people to move around Brisbane without always having to go through the CBD.

Turning Victoria Bridge 'Green' will only cost 40 million dollars. This is literally 1.5 billion dollars cheaper than the LNP's 1.54 billion dollar poorly developed and unfunded plan that will add considerably to Brisbane's debt. It is at least 1 billion dollars cheaper than the ALP's unfunded plan. We can't give you an exact figure or critique because the ALP hasn't released many details yet.

One thing's for sure. The Greens will be the only party going to the election on March 19 with our entire infrastructure plans costed, funded, and ready to complete within one council term.

[verbatim9]

The new proposal would be tidal peak flow? Similar to the old Coronation Drive scheme operated with lights similar to the Harbour Bridge.

[verbatim9]

I would also like to see awnings over the pedestrian portion at least on one side with Solar Voltaic panels feeding back into the grid. Then it will become an all weather bridge providing shade and shelter from rain for pedestrians. (Much needed.)

[red dragin]

The new proposal would be tidal peak flow? Similar to the old Coronation Drive scheme operated with lights similar to the Harbour Bridge.

Two outbound, one inbound lane.

A good idea, but I don't think the four platforms and six lanes would fit in the space currently occupied by six lanes and two platforms.

Would also make for a messy intersection at the portal (and I assume Grey street unless that is closed to through traffic?).

Two slightly wider and centered lanes for busses, with a dedicated bike lane on the western side, a wider footpath on the eastern side.

[ozbob]

From the archives, Nov 2011

Ban cars from Victoria Bridge: experts

>> http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/ban-cars-from-victoria-bridge-experts-20111121-1nrl5

Cars should be banned from Brisbane's Victoria Bridge to counter growing peak hour congestion for buses, public transport specialists say.

There are now more than 200 buses an hour on the bridge between South Bank and the CBD in the morning and afternoon peak periods, an increase of 15 buses an hour in the past two years.

University of Queensland's urban planning expert Professor Peter Spearritt, a former director of the Brisbane Institute, said cars should be banned from the bridge immediately.

"It should have happened a year ago," Professor Spearritt said.

"You have an absurd build-up of buses in the tunnel coming on to Melbourne Street, that is travelling south to north," he said, reporting his observations came from personal experience.

"And in morning peak period, people can be sitting there for 20 minutes.

"It is just ridiculous, just ridiculous."

Professor Spearritt advocated the Victoria Bridge should become Brisbane's second "green" bridge, and like the Eleanor Schonell Bridge at St Lucia, be only opened to public transport, cyclists and pedestrians.

Rail: Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow agreed, saying the Victoria Bridge was now "controlled chaos", with the bridge choked by buses in the morning and afternoon peak hours.

"I think cars have to be removed from Victoria Bridge," Mr Dow said.

"That would give them some extra capacity with some remodelling of the Cultural Centre bus station.

"Perhaps put another lane in there, that would mean that buses would flow a bit easier."

Mr Dow said this was an immediate solution to the peak-hour problem but the long-term answer was the 2006 idea of a new "green bridge" from the top of Adelaide Street.

"The system is just overloaded. There is just far too many buses being squeezed in at peak times," Mr Dow said.

"It is almost routine now to have a bus jam inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon.

Mr Dow said there would be no support for plans to put buses in special lanes on the Riverside Expressway or the Story Bridge.

"There would be as much chance of that happening as me flying to the moon tomorrow," he said.

He understood removing cars could open the debate about "funnelling" cars on the nearby Go Between Bridge where motorists pay a toll, but this could be managed.

Professor Spearritt said there were two problems with the current arrangement.

In the morning, buses queued waiting to turn right to get on to the Victoria Bridge from the South Bank busway.

In the afternoon peak, there was "shocking congestion" at the Cultural Centre bus station.

"That is more problematic, that is a hard one. They just that they don't have enough bus stopping spots to do the pick up," he said.

Professor Spearritt said he unsure of the merit in building another bridge at the top of Adelaide Street.

But he said the success of Brisbane's first "Green Bridge", Eleanor Schonell Bridge at St Lucia, was a test case to getting rid of cars from Victoria Bridge.

"The phenomenal success of the Green Bridge in terms of pedestrians and cyclists and buses is there for all to see. I mean thousands and thousands of people use it a day."

Professor Spearritt said there was a "relatively modest" number of motorists using the Victoria Bridge and it should become a "bus only" link as soon as possible.

"There are other ways of getting and out of the CBD," he said.

"It should be done immediately."

The state government and Brisbane City Council last night rejected calls for such a move.

[SurfRail]

You don't need 2 separate inbound platforms.

An even cheaper and more readily achievable version is the plan Simon came up with previously before he flounced off - get West End bound buses using the outbound general traffic lane and build a bus stop adjacent to the overpass, then have them continue in the general traffic lane.  Citybound buses just do the same as they do now.  Nearly all of the benefit, no expensive rebuild required, and you don't even have to close the bridge off to traffic.

[OzGamer]

If you look at the diagrams, it's one lane entering the bridge splitting to two lanes in the middle of the bridge in both directions.

It looks like the West End-bound buses (192, 196, 199, Blue CityGlider) use the outer bus platforms and everything else uses the two main platforms before heading to the SEB.

The expanded station can use the entire width of the road from the QPAC forecourt to the where the existing station starts as there are no cars and the bike lanes are integrated into the design.

[nathandavid88]

The new proposal would be tidal peak flow? Similar to the old Coronation Drive scheme operated with lights similar to the Harbour Bridge.

Two outbound, one inbound lane.

That's what I thought at first too, but then I realised that both section views of the Victoria Bridge they've provided are looking towards the city. From the Cultural Centre side of the bridge, you have one inbound lane and two outbound lanes (to allow for the outbound buses to separate into the Busway and West End platforms) and on the CBD end of the bridge two inbound lanes to allow the routes to split between QSBS/KGS and Adelaide Street routes, and a single outbound lane. This is essentially no different to the way the bus half of the bridge operates already. They're just annexing the general traffic lanes for larger footpaths and bike lanes, with no real additional bus capacity as such.

[OzGamer]

The new proposal would be tidal peak flow? Similar to the old Coronation Drive scheme operated with lights similar to the Harbour Bridge.

Two outbound, one inbound lane.

That's what I thought at first too, but then I realised that both section views of the Victoria Bridge they've provided are looking towards the city. From the Cultural Centre side of the bridge, you have one inbound lane and two outbound lanes (to allow for the outbound buses to separate into the Busway and West End platforms) and on the CBD end of the bridge two inbound lanes to allow the routes to split between QSBS/KGS and Adelaide Street routes, and a single outbound lane. This is essentially no different to the way the bus half of the bridge operates already. They're just annexing the general traffic lanes for larger footpaths and bike lanes, with no real additional bus capacity as such.

It certainly does give more capacity, in fact it literally doubles it, because it's the point where the buses leave to bridge to either enter Queen Street or North Quay or to enter the Cultural Centre Station that is the bottleneck, and this change opens that right up. It's the same principle as single lane roads which go to two lanes approaching a traffic light to double capacity through the chokepoint. I'm pretty sure the proposed arrangement would be essentially no different in total capacity than four lanes all the way.

[red dragin]

I see it now 

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Two major parties to block cars from bridge

[nathandavid88]

It certainly does give more capacity, in fact it literally doubles it, because it's the point where the buses leave to bridge to either enter Queen Street or North Quay or to enter the Cultural Centre Station that is the bottleneck, and this change opens that right up. It's the same principle as single lane roads which go to two lanes approaching a traffic light to double capacity through the chokepoint. I'm pretty sure the proposed arrangement would be essentially no different in total capacity than four lanes all the way.

The bridge's inbound bus lane already splits into two at the CBD end – a turning lane for buses continuing up North Quay to Adelaide Street and lane for QSBS/KGS or Elizabeth Street access. There's nothing to indicate that the turning lane in the Green's proposal will be any larger or better than the current turning lane is.

[Jonno]

Quote in press release

Some suburban buses would connect to busway stops and link across the city. This will stop half-empty buses clogging up Victoria Bridge, improve frequencies and travel time, and allow people to move around Brisbane without always having to go through the CBD.

More to it

[verbatim9]

I was just informed that Solar Votaic Shade panels cannot be erected on Vic Bridge due to wind concerns.

[STB]

Eh, no surprises here for me.  I remember this being talked about internally among the Busway Consultants within TL back in 2008.  In fact, I even suggested it once when I was working there and got the 'we've already thought of that' response.

Yes, a bus review would obviously help a lot, but I think this was going to happen at some point regardless.

[verbatim9]

The platform on the Eastern side can become an Island platform. + an additional platform on the theatre side. PIDs on the pedestrian overpass can inform next bus from the respective platforms before heading down. Similar to Roma St  KSG.

[OzGamer]

It certainly does give more capacity, in fact it literally doubles it, because it's the point where the buses leave to bridge to either enter Queen Street or North Quay or to enter the Cultural Centre Station that is the bottleneck, and this change opens that right up. It's the same principle as single lane roads which go to two lanes approaching a traffic light to double capacity through the chokepoint. I'm pretty sure the proposed arrangement would be essentially no different in total capacity than four lanes all the way.

The bridge's inbound bus lane already splits into two at the CBD end – a turning lane for buses continuing up North Quay to Adelaide Street and lane for QSBS/KGS or Elizabeth Street access. There's nothing to indicate that the turning lane in the Green's proposal will be any larger or better than the current turning lane is.

Well, the main benefit is that there are two lanes approaching the Cultural Centre. The current arrangement at the northern end could not stay exactly as it is as there would be a bike lane on the left inbound. I guess the important thing is that there is the capacity of two platforms in both directions with the appropriate approach lanes so that the buses don't just bank up on the bridge itself.

It really seems to me that this is overall a much more useful and effective use of this bridge than the current arrangement.

And the important thing to remember is that it's $1.5B cheaper than the Blue Team's "plan" - $1.5B which could go towards Cross River Rail.

[aldonius]

Definitely support an additional outbound platform, inbound less so. Outbound is where the serious embarkation pressure is IMHO (I'm prepared to be wrong here).

The thing nobody's mentioned yet is that the Northside services should be able to use the West End platform(s).

I think the North Quay slip lane towards Adelaide St has enough capacity in it to just go with one inbound lane the entire bridge.

I also question how the ex-West-End buses are going to manage their merge in time.

Finally, cars should be permitted to continue turning left out of the Stanley St loop. The bike lane needs to cross over the bus lane about there too.

[#Metro]

I would like to see a bird's eye view of this.

So do The Greens support bus reform? The suspense is killing me!!

[ozbob]

^

It is implied here:

...
Making Victoria Bridge 'Green' builds bus network capacity, allowing a simple redesign that would easily halve bus congestion at the Cultural Centre station. Your Green Team in council would work with Translink to spread the load around Brisbane, taking more passengers to where they really want to go.

Some suburban buses would connect to busway stops and link across the city. This will stop half-empty buses clogging up Victoria Bridge, improve frequencies and travel time, and allow people to move around Brisbane without always having to go through the CBD ...

[#Metro]

Metro and LRT also imply same.
Needs to be explicit IMHO.

[verbatim9]

I would like to see a bird's eye view of this.

So do The Greens support bus reform? The suspense is killing me!!

Me too! An aerial view would be interesting

[aldonius]

Here's my best effort to interpret.

update: gave the ex-West-End platform the connection to Melbourne St, derp.

[verbatim9]

Here's my best effort to interpret.

update: gave the ex-West-End platform the connection to Melbourne St, derp.

Makes sense I was tryimg to imagine how it would turn out.

[James]

+1 to the Greens for not attending Concretefest - the billion-dollar infrastructure festival (ft. Foam Party).

I still question if this is necessary though. There is the 300, 301, 306, 322, 330, 333, 345, 385 and 444, none of which have any need to be there aside from because people are afraid of walking 300m in the CBD or moving their bum to cross the river. You could take out 30bph easily without offending anybody. I personally think proper network reform + sending routes via CCB would negate any need for extra bus platforms. You could spend even less on network reform! This plan doesn't really bring anything new to the table - it just resurrects old ideas.

I would have much rather seen the Greens pledge $1.5bn to fix the Northern Busway - the busway with the middle missing. Probably would have also encouraged a shift in thinking - right now this entire election is about the Victoria Bridge. I don't think that's a good thing.

[aldonius]

Greens are steadily dripping out PT announcements, they're not done yet. Pennings hinted something about electric buses earlier today...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

6th February 2016

Victoria Bridge - Green Bridge Conversion Policy

Greetings,

RAIL Back on Track welcomes Victoria Bridge conversion to a 'green bridge' as Greens policy. It is clear that this is a low cost option that will relieve bus congestion around Cultural Centre and provide safer entry for cyclists into the Brisbane CBD from West End.

The Greens are also on to something with their hinting at bus network changes:

"A simple re-design would stop half-empty buses clogging up Victoria Bridge, improve frequencies and travel time, and allow people to move around Brisbane without always going through the CBD," Mr Pennings said.

"Our proposal is literally $1.5 billion cheaper than the LNP's poorly developed and unfunded plan that will add considerably to Brisbane's debt. "It's at least $1 billion cheaper than the ALP's unfunded plan but we can't be exact because the ALP have yet to detail their plans or the true cost of their proposal."

We have shown that bus reform would deliver 12 new hi-frequency bus lines across Brisbane, including to 'black hole' areas neglected by current and previous Brisbane City Council administrations, including Yeronga, Bulimba, The Centenary Suburbs and The Northwestern Suburbs.

Bus reform would be virtually cost-neutral and could be completed within 2 years, or a single term of office.
Larger 150-passenger superbuses feature as part of RAIL Back on Track's New Bus Network Proposal http://tiny.cc/newnetwork

When combined with Victoria Bridge, we believe this would give at least a decade or more of relief from bus congestion at Cultural Centre.

RAIL Back on Track looks forward to further announcements on public transport by candidates, in particular, any proposals for new or improved CityGlider services or hi-frequency bus services.  Network improvements does not always mean billions of dollars spent on concrete.  Well done to the Greens for showing the way.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Reference:

1. 'Green Victoria' Bridge – Saving Brisbane $1.5 Billion
http://itsyourbrisbane.com/commitments/green-victoria-bridge/

2. Two major parties to block cars from bridge
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-election-2016-two-of-three-major-
parties-back-green-victoria-bridge-20160205-gmmfnl.html

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Go Between Bridge toll should go if cars banned from Victoria Bridge: RACQ

[verbatim9]

Mmm I wouldnt support a toll elimination but a toll reduction as there will be increased traffic flow onto the bridge a toll reduction would be appropriate to keep it cost neutral for council and the operator.


Reduce the toll to 1.50-2.00 each way