Pedestrian and cyclist bridge connecting Kangaroo Point to Brisbane CBD

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Bridge connecting Kangaroo Point to CBD supported but not funded

The council received two petitions with a total of 238 signatures from residents calling on the council to commit to a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge linking the Kangaroo Point peninsula to the Brisbane CBD.

The bridge had previously had $32 million allocated in forward estimates and, in 2013, Cr Quirk said the council would go it alone in funding the bridge.

Funding for the bridge has never appeared in subsequent budgets.

Information supplied by the council revealed a bridge in this location was first proposed in the 1800s and a design was developed by 1890.

This bridge was never constructed and the council suggested this was because of the severe economic recession of the 1890s and the cost of the 1893 flood.

The council's public transport chairman Adrian Schrinner said the council was supportive of the bridge being constructed and had a corridor identified but did not have the money to build it this term.

"it's not part of our current four-year term budget commitment, but we do want to see the bridge built," he said.

"A Kangaroo Point bridge would provide a wonderful transport outcome for the city, catering for pedestrians and cyclists, but also connecting an area of the city that has quite significant density through Kangaroo Point.

"A lot of people need to get across, not only from the immediate Kangaroo Point area but that whole eastern suburbs catchment."

The council has identified the connection across the Brisbane River between Kangaroo Point and the City on the council's bicycle network overlay within the Brisbane City Plan 2014.

The petitioners requested planning for the bridge to start in 2018 with detailed design and construction by 2023.

Opposition transport spokesman Jared Cassidy questioned Cr Schrinner about the detailed design being completed and money allocated.

"What would the cost be for at least the design to send a signal that we are serious about it," he said.

Cr Schrinner said construction of the bridge would cost in excess of $100 million and the detailed design could cost more than $5 million.

"We're not talking about a couple of hundred thousand, it's a significant amount of money," he said.

"We don't have that kind of change lying around."

The head petitioner was told the council recognised the need for the connection but that needed to be balanced against citywide transport priorities.

"In the short-term, funding is not available to construct a bridge between Kangaroo Point and the CBD," the response said.

The committee voted in favour of the recommendation.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Kangaroo Point bridge business case to go ahead

The long-discussed pedestrian and cyclist bridge connecting Brisbane CBD and Kangaroo Point will have a business case developed.

On Tuesday, the state government announced it would give Brisbane City Council $230,000 towards planning the new bridge across Brisbane River.

The bridge was first proposed in the 1800s and, in 2013, lord mayor Graham Quirk said he envisaged construction of the bridge being completed within five years.

The pedestrian and cyclist bridge previously had $32 million allocated in the council's forward estimates, but funding did not appear in subsequent budgets.

The council previously said it supported the bridge and had identified a location, but did not have the money to build the bridge before the end of the current term in 2020.

On Tuesday, after the state government announced its $230,000 grant, the council's public and active transport chairman Adrian Sacrhinner said the council had applied for the funding towards the business case.

"This means we will be starting in the very near future the business case for the Kangaroo Point green bridge," he said.

"We are over the moon this project has now been given some support by the state government and we are very keen to see it progressing."

The business case would be jointly funded between the council and state government.

Cr Schrinner said the council had already done some preparatory work for the business case and was keen to see it progress.

"We will certainly be starting the process this financial year and this will be treated in council as a priority," he said.

The business case will look at the overall expected cost of the bridge and its benefits to calculate a benefit-cost ratio.

The business case will help both the council and the state government make funding decisions for the project.

State Development Minister Cameron Dick announced the council's share of the available $22 million under round two of the Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline Program.

Mr Dick said the interest from councils in the money available from the $22 million program had been significant.

"For the local communities this means building strong local governments with vital investment in early-stage planning for projects," he said.

Other projects which received funding included $80,000 for an Ipswich stadium business case, $300,000 for Moreton Bay Regional Council to undertake strategic transport planning and $430,000 for Scenic Rim Regional Council to develop a business case for the Beaudesert Library.

Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Greg Hallam said the program helped councils deliver infrastructure their communities had identified as important.

"The Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline Program helps get these vital local infrastructure projects moving," Mr Hallam said.

The MIPP is a $30 million program delivered across two rounds.