Statement: Bridge has cyclists riding high

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Bridge has cyclists riding high

A new bicycle bridge will be built over Moggill Road at the Centenary Motorway interchange, giving cyclists a safer path between the Westerns Suburbs and Brisbane City.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the $10 million bridge would deliver on the LNP's commitment to provide better infrastructure and planning.

"Cyclists currently travelling on this section of the bikeway have to contend with four lanes of traffic, as well as the on-ramps and off-ramps to the Western Freeway," Mr Emerson said.

"I have spoken with a number of cyclists and motorists concerned about how dangerous this intersection is, particularly given about 800 cyclists use the bikeway every day.

"The Centenary Bikeway is popular for recreational and commuter cyclists and this new bridge will not only make it a safer connection, it will encourage more people to get out on their bikes."

Close to 60 per cent of Queensland households have access to a bike and about 814,000 Queenslanders ride a bike every week.

Mr Emerson said while the government has had to make some tough financial decisions, this was another example of a project that could be delivered with some of the savings found.

"We have come up with a cost-effective solution to a problem cyclists have been telling us about on this very busy stretch of road," he said.

"At the same time we are investing in cycle infrastructure, we are also reviewing 68 recommendations put forward by the Transport, Housing and Local Government committee to improve cycle safety on our roads.

"Over the next few months we will consider the full report, however we have already confirmed we will be supporting a two-year trial of the one-metre rule."

Construction is expected to begin next year on the bicycle bridge over Moggill Road.

[minbrisbane]

Is this the first ever release from Emerson without a reference to Labor?

[red dragin]

Is this the first ever release from Emerson without a reference to Labor?

+1

[Mozz]

Looking forward to this piece of infrastructure, the bridge is very welcome. Just this morning at around riding in from Oxley to the CBD, at the Moggill Road traffic island I counted 10 cyclists waiting to cross at the lights, the western freeway bikeway is heavily use and will only get more use.

[johnnigh]

This really is great news, something that has been agitated for over the last decade, even by Bicycle Queensland, as well as South West Brisbane BUG and, of course, the CBDBUG.

Congratulations to Minister Emerson for a good decision.

[SurfRail]

Certainly is a positive, although one wonders how they could achieve this and not the Springfield one.  You would expect a bridge like the one at Jindalee would inflate the cost over the distance needed a fair bit compared with using the rail corridor alignment between Springfield and the Logan Mwy interchange.

[ozbob]

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