Article: Northern Link tunnel a major headache for Brisbane

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From the Courier Mail click here!

Northern Link tunnel a major headache for Brisbane

Northern Link tunnel a major headache for Brisbane
Article from: The Courier-Mail

John McCarthy

October 29, 2008 11:00pm

BRISBANE City Council's third tunnel project, the proposed Northern Link, is looming as a massive headache for the city, with plans for hundreds of resumptions, road closures and traffic changes and even a conveyor belt running up to Mt Coot-tha quarry.

The council's environmental impact study has revealed the need for 116 resumptions, 614 volumetric (under the property) resumptions, road closures, a park resumption, possible 6m sound barriers and major traffic and lifestyle disruption during construction.

The tunnel could even mean golfers on the seventh tee at Victoria Park would have to share their game with a 25m ventilation shaft and its power station. Explosives would be used at both entry points.

Costing up to $2.7 billion for its most expensive option, the project would see character housing at Toowong resumed.

Residents were also concerned about pollution from one of the exhaust and ventilation shafts, although the EIS discounts their concerns.

The EIS cited significant economic benefits, including $11 billion saved during the life of the project through improved travel time and costs.

During construction, noise barriers might have to be built along parts of Milton Rd, Kelvin Grove Rd and Croydon St at Toowong to protect residents. Toowong resident and president of the local action group Nicholas Feros said: "They think creating a canyon in Croydon St somehow improves the amenity.

"Residents are infuriated at the lack of respect for their concerns."

Motorists on Kelvin Grove Rd will face significant traffic changes while an elevated conveyor belt carting rubble from the tunnel would potentially be built around the Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha to the nearby quarry for operation 24 hours a day, six days a week.

Another ventilation shaft would also be built at Toowong, raising concerns among residents about air quality.

Council infrastructure chairman Graham Quirk said there was little choice but to have a tunnel and without it there would be "uncontrollable levels of (car) movements" on major roads. The conveyor option would reduce truck cartage.

"We are going to have impacts, no question. It's a case of doing everything to minimise those impacts," he said.

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