Ministerial Statement: WANTED : DESIGNERS FOR EASTERN BUSWAY

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport, Trade, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
15/09/2008

WANTED : DESIGNERS FOR EASTERN BUSWAY

The next section of the Eastern Busway is moving a step closer, with the State Government currently calling for design tenders for the Buranda to Main Avenue section.

Transport Minister John Mickel said that the requests for proposals for the design of the next stage of the Eastern Busway closes on September 18 and that he expected a design company to be appointed in October, with construction on track to start in mid-2009.

"Getting the designer on board now means Queensland Transport can get on with the job of delivering the latest addition to Brisbane's busway network," Mr Mickel said.

The State Government has committed $465.8 million to the Buranda to Cavendish Road section of the Eastern Busway.

"This section of the Eastern Busway will shave up to eight minutes off bus trips for thousands of commuters, saving nearly one-and-a-half-hours in travel time per week," Mr Mickel said.

"It will bypass four sets of traffic lights and t he congested Logan Road-O'Keefe Street roundabout at Buranda."

Mr Mickel said by 2016, this section of busway is expected to carry up to 7,000 passengers in the morning peak. This follows the success of the South-East Busway, opened in 2001, which now carries up to 18,000 commuters an hour.

To carry the same number of passengers by car, two extra traffic lanes along Old Cleveland Road would be needed.

"The designer has the task of taking the concept design to the next level of detail in preparation for construction," Mr Mickel said.

"The next step after design is to call for proposals from constructors, and this is expected to be in place by the end of the year.

"We have said from the start that the Eastern Busway would be custom-designed to fit in with the look and feel of the local area, and the project team has worked closely with the community to honour that pledge throughout the concept design phase.

"Queensland Transport is looking for a designer who shares its vision for getting the best possible outcome and I look forward to a spirited response from the design industry to this request for proposals."

Construction of the first section of the Eastern Busway - between the Princess Alexandra Hospital and South East Busway at Buranda - is well underway and due for completion by late 2009.

The Buranda to Main Avenue section will connect the existing South East Busway at Buranda with Coorparoo via Stones Corner in a combination of tunnel, bridge and at-surface busway. A busway station will be built at Stones Corner with a premium bus stop at Langlands Park that allows for a future busway station.

Community members interested in receiving regular e-mail updates from the project team can register their details by e-mail at easternbusway@transport.qld.gov.au or by freecall 1800 550 277.

[mufreight]

Will it be constructed in such a manner as to allow for future light rail?

[O_128]

Most likely not. The government is only interested in today and not tomoorw if they were the part being condtructed would be ligh rail. plus i live eastern suburbs and no-one actuall wants this or asked for it we all want heavy rail built ot capalaba instead.

[Ace]

All Brisbane busways are designed to allow for the future co-location of light rail to support the expansion of the pt network.