The Second Gateway Bridge Open Day

[ozbob]

The Second Gateway Bridge Open Day

http://www.translink.com.au/event.php?id=196

Extra train services and bus shuttles ..

[Jon Bryant]

Oh thevironynof extra rail and bus services for the opening of this road monstrosity

[Golliwog]

Ironic, yes. But on the plus side, this will put the usefulness of both buses and trains into the minds of people who see (and use) the buses across the bridge and the trains to and from the event.

[stephenk]

Loads of extra services listed to Doomben, but few extra services listed back again. Is this a mistake?

(If it is, it won't be the first time. For the Future Music Festival, Translink listed only extra buses home, Future Music's website listed only extra trains home, and in reality both were running).

[ozbob]

Minister for Main Roads
The Honourable Craig Wallace
14/05/2010

Avoid the pain and take the train

With tens of thousands of people expected to roll up for the big bridge party on the new Gateway bridge on Sunday, Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace is urging people to catch public transport.

Minister Wallace said 50,000 people had entered their details on the official website, but event organisers believe the numbers will double on Sunday.

"We're asking people to catch public transport. We're expecting big numbers on Sunday and nobody wants to see tens of thousands of cars all trying to get to the one location," he said.

"If you take the train you can get there door to door. We'll have shuttle buses running from Ascot and Murarrie Rail Stations. They'll also be picking up bus passengers at five commuter car parks to take them straight to the foot of the bridge."

Free shuttle buses will run from 9am to 4pm. Shuttles will run continuously through the day to and from the following locations:

·Ascot station - Lancaster Road

·Lancaster Road, opposite Duke Street (parking)

·Eagle Farm station - Hampden Street

·Gateway TAFE - Corner Woonah and Kingsford Smith Drive

·Metroplex Avenue, Murarrie

·Colmslie Beach Reserve - Colmslie Road

·Murarrie station - Corner Railway Terrace and Queensport Road

To get to the event on Sunday, nine extra train services will run from Central Station to Murarrie and Ascot Stations. From the event, 17 additional train services will run from Ascot station to Central station.

Minister Wallace said there would be a 100-plus police presence and traffic management measures in place. He said if people chose to drive there were road closures they needed to be aware of.

"I really encourage people to visit www.gatewaybridgeopening.com.au or www.translink.com.au to plan their journey ahead of the event.

The Gateway site not only has all the public transport information but also maps of all road closures around the bridge.

"If most people drive to the bridge on Sunday, it could create traffic snarls on Kingsford Smith Drive and Wynnum Road."

From the Northside of the bridge:

• Free shuttle buses to connect with rail services at Ascot Rail Station and from the parking stations at Eagle Farm Racecourse and Eagle Farm TAFE ($4.00 parking fee applies).

• On-street parking available in the Curtin Ave Industrial Estate (and then walk to the bridge).

• Disabled parking on the northern side of Lavarack Ave between French and Harvey Streets with authorised vehicles (displaying disabled stickers) allowing access to Lavarack Ave from Kingsford Smith Drive via Harvey St.

• A taxi rank on the northern side of Lavarack Ave opposite the main access point to the bridge.

From the Southside of the bridge

• Free shuttle buses to connect with rail services at Murarrie Rail Station and from the parking stations at Murarrie Recreation Reserve*, Colmslie Beach Reserve* and Metroplex Corporate Estate. There is on street parking at Paringa Rd (and then walk to the bridge). (*$4.00 parking fee applies)

• Disabled parking on the southern side of Lytton Rd between Paringa Rd and the Gateway Bridge with authorised vehicles (displaying disabled stickers) allowed access from the Port of Brisbane Motorway at Lytton Road.

• A taxi rank on the northern side of Lytton Rd approaching Administration Drive.

Second Gateway Bridge Community Day:

What: Second Gateway Bridge Community Day

Date & Time: Sunday 16 May, 2010 : 9am through to 4pm

Location: Second Gateway Bridge, approach from Murarrie or Eagle Farm

Transport: Please take public transport, see www.gatewaybridgeopening.com.au for more information or to sign up for the big day.

The Gateway Upgrade Project is Australia's largest bridge and road project, a Queensland Government initiative delivered by Queensland Motorways with design and construction and maintenance by the Leighton Abigroup Joint Venture.

Disabled Set Down Zones:

Disabled parking will be provided at Lavarack Avenue between French Street and Holt Street on the north side with authorized vehicles allowed access to Lavarack Avenue at Holt Street and also at Lytton Road between Paringa Road and the Gateway Bridge with authorised vehicles allowed access from the Port of Brisbane Motorway at Lytton Road.

Taxi Ranks:

On the northside of the bridge, a rank will be established on the northern side of Lavarack Avenue opposite the main access point to the bridge and on the southside, a rank will be set up on the northern side of Lytton Road approaching Administration Drive.

What not to bring on the bridge:

If you are planning to attend the Community Day celebrations, walking the bridge and being part of history, there are a few things you need to know about what not to bring - bicycles, rollerskates, scooters, rollerblades, weapons, lasers, fireworks, spray cans, eskies, alcohol and pets / dogs (unless they are registered with Guide Dogs Association) will not be allowed on the bridge.

Further Information:

Website - www.gatewaybridgeopening.com.au

Translink - www.translink.com.au or 13 12 30

Telephone Hotline - call Queensland Motorways 1300 55 99 40 (Mon - Fri between 7.30am and 5.30pm, Saturdays between 9.00am and 3.00pm and on Sunday 16 May 7.30am - 4.00pm)

==============================================================

[Derwan]

Apparently, they're officially announcing the new name for the Gateway Bridge (both of them) as well. 

But as far as I'm concerned, it's the GATEWAY Bridge, not Sir Leo What's-his-face!!

[ozbob]

All hail the horseless carriage ...  


http://www.hcca.org/pics/crugerabbott.jpg

" .... take public transport ..."  says it all really ...

=================

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh
15/05/2010

Final preparations for Brisbane's big bridge party

Tents and marquees are being set up along the new Gateway Bridge in preparation for what is shaping up as Brisbane's biggest bridge party.

Premier Anna Bligh said the Gateway Bridge site today was a hive of activity as event teams and construction teams put in the hard yards ahead of tomorrow's Community Day.

"Sunday will be the only opportunity for Queenslanders to walk across Brisbane's highest bridge before it opens to four lanes of traffic next week," the Premier said.

"The views are amazing. To the west you can see the city and Mt Coot-tha, to the east Moreton Island, to the south Mount Gravatt and on a clear day, as far as the Glass House Mountains to the north.

"It will be an historic day and we're going all out to make it a day to remember for decades to come.

"We're cooking up 8 kilometres of sausages and hamburgers, 30,000 pieces of fish and putting on 240,000 litres of coffees and drinks.

"15 Queensland flags will fly from the stage area of the bridge," Ms Bligh said.

The Premier said construction workers on the bridge were also busy with last minute touch-ups ahead of Community Day and when the bridge opens to four lanes of traffic in a week's time.

Around 3.2 kilometres of temporary barriers are being fitted into place, 1,000 cats eyes are being cleaned and 30 new signs are being undressed to direct southbound traffic.

Millions of LED bulbs that make up the three-tone strip lighting across the 1.6 kilometre span of the bridge are being switched on tonight.

Over 2000 runners are limbering up for the Gateway Bridge Bolt which will see a total of 12 million steps as they pound the tarmac from one end of the bridge to the other.

Premier Bligh urged visitors on Sunday to come by public transport to help avoid traffic snarls.

"Take public transport because we're expecting tens of thousands of people tomorrow. Let's not make that tens of thousands of cars all trying to get to one location," she said.

"Shuttle buses will be able to take you straight to the bridge."

Motorists are urged to follow the signs for changed conditions on the approaches to the bridge for Community Day.

The new bridge is the pinnacle of the State Government's $2.5 billion Gateway Upgrade Project, which includes:

   * Original $1.88 billion Gateway Upgrade Project
   * $240 million widening between Mount Gravatt Capalaba Road and Miles Platting Road
   * $320 million extension of the Port of Brisbane Motorway between Lindum Road and Pritchard Street.

About the bridge:

   * One of the top ten longest cantilever box girder bridges in the world
   * Relies on 17 piers of varying heights for support - the shortest at 17m, the tallest at 54m
   * 157,000 tonnes of concrete
   * 11,600 tonnes of steel
   * 9,100 tonnes of asphalt
   * Design life of 300 years

"By the end of the year, we'll have twelve lanes across the river - six northbound, six southbound - six months ahead of schedule," Ms Bligh said.

For more details visit www.gatewayupgradeproject.com.au

The Community Day will be the only chance for Queenslanders to make history and walk the bridge before it's opened to traffic on Monday 24.

6.45am Gateway Bridge Bolt - about 2000 pre-registered runners will run across the bridge and back (north to south) to scoop the King of the Bridge.

10.30am Official opening ceremony (southern side of bridge) - featuring didgeridoo player William Barton and his mother, Aunty Delmae Barton and the Queensland Ballet School

All day entertainment - Anna Weatherup Band, the Chris Pickering Band, Bollywood Dance Performances, the Arron Bool & Rachel Dunham Duo, the Madeleine Page Full Band and more..

All day - Fish and chips feast - Brisbane's most popular seafood providers cook up a feast

Walk of Art - School children from 11 primary schools along the Gateway corridor make their mark

What: Second Gateway Bridge Community Day

Date & Time: Sunday 16 May, 2010 : 9am through to 4pm

Location: Second Gateway Bridge, approach from Murarrie or Eagle Farm

Entry: Free

Visit www.gatewaybridgeopening.com.au for more details

==============================================================  

[Jon Bryant]

How amazing that they recomend taking PT because that is a better way of moving large numbers to celebrate the opening of a bridge for the most inefficient form of transport.  Blinkers ON!!!!!!!!

[#Metro]

Where is all this traffic going to? If the traffic volume is so great, surely it warrants the installation of a rapid BUZ lane.

[longboi]

Where is all this traffic going to? If the traffic volume is so great, surely it warrants the installation of a rapid BUZ lane.

What would be the point in that? First you have to look at what percentage of vehicles are private use and whether there is any private travel patterns which could be replaced with PT (Say, Bracken Ridge-Mt Gravatt). Just indescriminately putting in bus lanes doesn't do anything to help solve congestion.

[stephenk]

Where is all this traffic going to? If the traffic volume is so great, surely it warrants the installation of a rapid BUZ lane.

What would be the point in that? First you have to look at what percentage of vehicles are private use and whether there is any private travel patterns which could be replaced with PT (Say, Bracken Ridge-Mt Gravatt). Just indescriminately putting in bus lanes doesn't do anything to help solve congestion.

I'll second Nikko's comment.

[#Metro]

What would be the point in that? First you have to look at what percentage of vehicles are private use and whether there is any private travel patterns which could be replaced with PT (Say, Bracken Ridge-Mt Gravatt). Just indescriminately putting in bus lanes doesn't do anything to help solve congestion.

Maybe they could be T3.
If you have to duplicate an entire 6 lane bridge...

[ozbob]

Joint Statement:

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Minister for Main Roads
The Honourable Craig Wallace
16/05/2010

History made as tens of thousands walk new Gateway to Queensland

Tens of thousands of Queenslanders walked the second Gateway Bridge today to mark the opening of the iconic piece of infrastructure to the public.

They helped celebrate the completion of an engineering marvel that deployed an epic 11,600 tonnes of steel, 445,000 cubic metres of concrete and 9,100 tonnes of asphalt.

The special community day featured a fish and chips feast hosted by some of Brisbane's best providers and a powerful opening ceremony greeted thousands of Queensland families.

A colourful Walk of Art created by school children from eleven primary schools located along the Gateway corridor greeted Queenslanders as they walked on the centrepiece of the $1.88 billion project for the first time.

"On top of this, we're also spending an extra half a billion dollars on additional upgrades to the Gateway and Port of Brisbane Motorways - all up, a massive $2.5 billion investment," said Premier Anna Bligh.

"This is a historic day for Queensland and for the thousands of motorists who will use this vital motorway link every day."

"This structure is a symbol of how far our State has come since the first Gateway Bridge was completed in 1986.

"This new bridge has even more to offer the public including a pedestrian walkway and cycle way and dedicated viewing platforms with stunning views of Moreton Bay.

"In 1986 when the original Gateway Bridge opened, the government of the day held a huge party with fireworks to rival New Year's Eve.

"Today's celebration is just as important. When I look at this wonderful structure I believe that Queenslanders can be proud of how far we've come and be confident of a bright future."

The Premier said that from today the existing and new Gateway bridge will both be officially known as the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges.

"Today's Community Day means thousands of Queenslanders can mark four southbound lanes opening on the second bridge, with further lanes progressively opening as work is completed," said the Premier.

Motorists will ultimately have 12 lanes across the river - six northbound and six southbound and all 12 lanes will be open by the end of the year, six months ahead of schedule.

"We want to give motorists the benefits of those extra lanes as soon as they're available - every extra lane means an extra 1400 vehicles an hour can cross the river," said the Premier.

In addition to the 10 minutes in travel time savings already being experienced by motorists due to free-flow tolling and completed upgrades, motorists travelling across the Gateway and Logan motorway network will now save up to another 15 minutes on their journeys.

The official opening ceremony for the bridge featured project workers passing over two halves of a locally designed plaque to a meeting point on the main stage where the plaque was officially joined to represent the bridge spanning two sides of the river.

During the ceremony, renowned didgeridoo player William Barton performed a custom-composed piece while dancers from the Queensland Ballet School performed.

Works on the new bridge will be completed a full two years sooner than the construction time of the first Gateway Bridge, thanks to production efficiencies and innovative approaches to the bridge's construction.

"The Gateway Upgrade Project has been a key part of the Government's infrastructure agenda and its construction supported the jobs of 6000 workers over the life of the project," said the Premier.

Refurbishment of the existing Bridge will begin in June, with the existing three northbound traffic lanes remaining open. New screens, lighting and pavements will be installed over the full six northbound lanes.

South of the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridge, 12 kilometres of upgrades to the motorway between Lytton Road and Mt-Gravatt-Capalaba Road are scheduled to be completed by the end of this month.

Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace said the original Gateway Bridge project completed in 1986 cost $140 million and included the bridge and four kilometres of motorway from Lytton to Kingsford Smith Drive.

"Our Gateway Upgrade Project involves construction of a second Bridge, 16 kilometres of upgrades to the Gateway Motorway south of the Gateway bridges and seven kilometres of new motorway north to Nudgee Road," he said.

"South of the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridge, we're increasing the four-lane motorway to nine lanes between Lytton Road and Wynnum Road, eight lanes between Wynnum Road and Old Cleveland Road, and six lanes from Old Cleveland Road to Miles Platting Road.

"North of the bridge, we've built an entirely new seven-kilometre section of the Gateway Motorway that provides a new access to the Brisbane Airport and a new off-ramp to Kingsford Smith Drive, and includes 17 new bridges."

Progressive opening of lanes this year:

READY: May - 7 lanes: 4 southbound on new bridge , 3 northbound on existing bridge

SET: August - 9 lanes: 6 southbound on new bridge, 3 northbound on existing bridge

GO: Dec - 12 lanes: 6 southbound on new bridge, 6 northbound on existing bridge

==============================================================

[ozbob]

http://images.forbes.com/media/2006/12/20/congested_5.jpg

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Gateway Bridge opening in Brisbane causes heavy traffic conditions and carparks are full

Gateway Bridge opening in Brisbane causes heavy traffic conditions and carparks are full

    * Jason Tin
    * From: The Courier-Mail
    * May 16, 2010 11:12AM


POLICE are advising people attending today's Gateway Bridge opening to use public transport as parking facilities are full or nearing capacity and traffic is heavily congested.

The Murarrie Reserve parking facility is already full and no more cars are being accepted there.
Police advise that Comslie Reserve is not a designated parking facility and parking is not available at this site.

The nearby Comslie Beach is a designated parking facility but is nearing capacity.

Wynnum Rd is heavily congested between the Gateway and Cannon Hill Shopping centre.

A shuttle bus is running from Murarrie Railway Station and Ascot Railway Station.

[Derwan]

Did anyone see the news reports?  They were saying it's a "once-only" opportunity as though people would never be able to walk over the bridge again.

Of course - the new bridge included a pedestrian and cycleway.  I will be avoiding the crowds and congestion - and will walk over once it opens.

[#Metro]

What an excellent photo Ozbob! One for the gallery of congestion...