Hale St Bridge Project - Impact on Ipswich line

[ozbob]

6 November 2007

Sent to: HaleStreetLink@brisbane.qld.gov.au


Greetings,

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org),  a web based community group that supports rail and public transport is concerned with the impact of the Hale St Bridge project on an already overloaded railway service on the Ipswich line.

Our group has been lobbying for increased services, particularly during peak to cope with the present congestion on this line.  We are very concerned that once the Hale St Bridge project commences the overflow onto the rail services will be a major problem and compound the present congestion issues.

Has some contingency planning been done to coordinate extra services on the Ipswich line?  This is very critical in view of previous statements by Council that extra buses will also feed stations such as Indooroopilly, Taringa and Toowong.  There is very little room on many peak services at these stations already.  For example, the 6.44am service from Oxley which I was on this morning was very heavily loaded by Indooroopilly.  People were finding it very difficult  to board at subsequent stations.  There simply is not much more room.  There certainly will not be the room on present services for the expected additional commuters generated by the road chaos associated with the project.

Running additional rail services (all stations) between Darra and the CBD during peak would help.  These services could return via the Exhibition loop Milton all stations to Darra.

We believe extra services on the Ipswich line during peak is an urgent top priority now.

Best wishes
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track

See -->  http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE::pc=PC_2114  for Hale St Link at BCC

[ozbob]

Letter of acknowledgement received 14 Nov 2007.  Promise of further response in due course.

Thanks.

Hopefully we can get a couple of extra services to take up the load.  All services are very full during peak.

Cheers
Ozbob

[ozbob]

No further response as yet.  This is going to be a very critical issue, all lines are suffering congestion to varying degrees but the Ipswich line will not cope at peak unless dramatic increase in capacity.

As new crew/trains introduced hopefully the timetable with the very necessary improvements will be maintained.

[ozbob]

I have received a letter from Lord Mayor Campbell Newman today (12th Dec) in response to our concerns.

In the letter Cr Newman indicates that he is aware of the potential congestion issues on the Ipswich line and previously  invited QR to part of the HSL mitigation working group with a view to assisting with extra capacity on the Ipswich line.

Thanks to the Lord Mayor for the response.

Regards
Ozbob

[ozbob]

I have also been contacted by Mr Taylor QR Group General Manager Passenger Services who has also indicated that they are working towards minimising impacts on passengers on the Ipswich line.

Thanks Mr. Taylor.

Regards
Ozbob

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Fight over traffic chaos puts bridge project under threat

Fight over traffic chaos puts bridge project under threat
Article from: The Courier-Mail

John McCarthy

December 12, 2007 11:00pm

BRISBANE'S Hale Street Bridge project is in chaos with the State Government threatening to undermine the financing for the $240 million scheme unless the city council moves to avert massive traffic congestion during construction.

Work on the project starts early next year and it is expected that at various stages traffic jams will spread back more than 6km on the Riverside Expressway and the Inner City Bypass and add another 50 minutes to the already heavily congested routes.

But Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt has said that unless the council makes major changes to alleviate traffic jams, he is not prepared to grant it the ability to levy tolls on the new bridge.

That was likely to cause the council to restructure its financing and raised questions about the project's viability.

At the very least it could add significantly to project delays, but Mr Pitt said the current situation was not acceptable because it would gridlock the city.

Mr Pitt has sent the council a list of traffic proposals ahead of talks this week. His department claims the proposals could reduce the massive impact on motorists during construction.

While the Minister admitted the proposals could increase costs, he was not prepared to help bridge any funding gap.

"They should have factored this in when they borrowed the money," Mr Pitt said.

"People will not accept chaos just so this gets done cheaply and quickly. Every project we do across the state costs us extra money because we have to weigh up cheap and fast versus inconvenience to the motorists.

"The balance always costs more."

Mr Pitt rejected claims he was playing politics or trying to undermine Liberal Lord Mayor Campbell Newman in the run-up to the March local government elections, because negotiations on the issue started 18 months ago.

"I would be derelict if I said 'go ahead' and then everything came to a standstill," he said.

"What has shocked me more is the Lord Mayor's willingness to visit this kind of traffic mayhem on Brisbane motorists and his unwillingness to date to consider relatively simple measures to reduce the adverse impacts of the project."

Main Roads engineers believe the construction can go ahead without reducing the number of lanes on Coronation Drive as council has proposed. It also suggested that construction on aspects of the project could be staggered, which would reduce the severity of traffic jams but increase construction times.

Mr Pitt said the council may have considered some of the options put forward but it had not included any in its traffic management plans. "As it stands, the traffic management plan is seriously substandard," he said.

He said the cost to the city caused by the traffic jams would be far greater than any blow-out in construction costs that might be caused by his strategy.

"This will cause gridlock," he said.

Suburbs as far away as Bardon are also expected to be affected by increased traffic and the State Government believes that public transport will not be able to help because the work will coincide with an upgrade of the Milton railway station that will affect the train network's ability to take extra passengers.

A spokesman for Cr Newman said the threat to council's tolling powers could derail the project.

"The Government has known about the implications of this project for two years," the spokesman said.

"It's embarrassing enough for them that council has funded vital traffic infrastructure that should be funded by the state, yet they continue to play silly political games in order to win the council election."

[ozbob]

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Paul Lucas
15/01/2008

Lucas demands answers to Lord Mayor's daily diet of gridlock

Queensland's Coordinator-General will urgently meet with Brisbane City Council over its plan to keep Brisbane motorists in gridlock for two years during construction of the Hale St Bridge.

Acting Premier Paul Lucas today asked Coordinator-General Colin Jensen to meet with council and Main Roads tomorrow (January 16) to discuss traffic management plans for Brisbane City Council's proposed Hale St Bridge.

"I've got a lot of faith in the Coordinator-General and in Main Roads," Mr Lucas said.

"Unfortunately, Brisbane City Council has demonstrated its unwillingness to budge over its traffic management plan that would gridlock city roads for years.

"We support this council project and the State Government has a good history of working with Brisbane City Council and the Lord Mayor on a number of other projects.

"But Brisbane City Council's own plan to manage traffic during construction shows there could be delays of 50 minutes each trip on Milton Rd and 80 minutes a day on Coronation Drive.

"That's not acceptable to the State Government.

"Delays like that mean people would have to leave home an hour earlier each and every morning for two years and wouldn't get home until an hour later.

"Drivers might as well be commuting from Laidley rather than Toowong.

"Main Roads told council it wasn't good enough to gridlock the city for two years and asked for an improved traffic management plan.

"Unfortunately, the Lord Mayor has chosen to play politics with this rather than come back with a solution that would reduce delays."

Mr Lucas said he would like to know whether Cr Newman had asked motorists if they were willing to put up with massive delays while work on the project continued for two years.

"Motorists are being very patient with work happening on projects like the North South Bypass tunnel, the Gateway Upgrade Project, the Ipswich Motorway and the Inner Northern Busway.

"These projects all have traffic management plans and they're not causing 50 minute-per-trip delays that the Lord Mayor wants to foist on South East Queensland motorists with Hale St.

"If it's good enough for projects that are much longer than this bridge and much more expensive, I don't see why council can't get it right for this one.

"I urge the Lord Mayor to take another look at this. Handing in the same piece of homework that has already been given a failing grade isn't good enough for motorists and it's not good enough for me.

"I've asked the Coordinator-General to try to resolve these issues within the next two weeks.

"If this can't be sorted out and council still refuses to budge in that time, the State Government will look at its options for taking control of the project."



Attached: Section of Brisbane City Council Hale St Bridge Traffic Management Plan detailing traffic delays.


What the RACQ says:

Bridge project needs more effective traffic plan

The RACQ has urged the Brisbane City Council and State Government to cooperate in devising a more effective traffic management plan for the Hale Street Bridge project.

RACQ chief executive officer Ian Gillespie said the club shared the State Government's concerns over unacceptably long traffic delays while the bridge was being built.

"To delay commuters for up to 50 minutes a day for an extended construction program of two-and-a-half years is just not an acceptable plan," Mr Gillespie said.

"With State Government support, the council needs to find a better way to manage traffic flows, or change the design or building method.

December 13, 2007

Full release:
http://www.racq.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/racq_cms_production/hs.xsl/News_Archive_Foun_6953_ENA_HTML.htm

[ozbob]

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Paul Lucas
01/02/2008

State Government offers Council further help on Hale St Project

The State Government will offer Brisbane City Council the chance to speed up the approvals process for a redesigned Hale St Bridge project.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Paul Lucas said Coordinator-General Colin Jensen had today delivered his report on the project following a two week analysis and discussions with Brisbane City Council, Main Roads and Queensland Transport.

"The State Government supports this bridge and we want to see it built," Mr Lucas said.

"Council's original plan would have meant 50 minute delays during peak periods twice a day for two whole years of construction. Motorists won't accept that and neither should they.

"Brisbane motorists expect the State Government and council to work together to get the job done, and we're suggesting a way forward that will see this project underway as soon as possible.

"I have accepted the Coordinator-General's recommendation that council be offered his help to fast-track necessary approvals for council's new proposal.

"As Minister I can declare this a 'prescribed project' which gives the Coordinator-General special powers to streamline approvals.

"Council did not request the State Government do this when they started this project but I am offering them the opportunity now to ensure we can work together to make this new river crossing a reality.

"I'd encourage the Lord Mayor to accept this offer and let the politicians stand aside so the experts can get to work.

"On any number of projects - the North South Bypass tunnel, the Inner Northern Busway extension, the Gateway Upgrade Project - council and the State Government have worked together to ensure vital infrastructure could be built without major delays.

"And there's no reason we can't work together the same way on this project."

Mr Lucas said the Coordinator-General's report found:

    * For the full Hale Street Link project to proceed, with delays similar to those normally associated with road works on a major urban road instead of the 40-50 minute delays previously proposed would require a budget above the $245.5 million approved by Brisbane City Council in 2006.
    * Council did not fully consider suggested traffic plan solutions from Main Roads because it apparently did not want to increase its $245.5 million budget for the project.
    * Main Roads was not unreasonable with requests for a traffic management plan that did not impose extensive delays for motorists near the project and lesser delays across the wider road network.
    * As well as seeking to change the design on the northern end of the bridge, council is seeking design changes to the southern end of the bridge.
    * Users of the toll bridge may still gain similar benefits from a de-scoped project.
    * It is not yet known whether motorists using the intersections on either side of the river will experience additional congestion as a result of the de-scoped project.

"The Coordinator-General has spent the last two weeks working with all parties to determine how a project that best benefits motorists could be delivered," Mr Lucas said.

"The State Government is keen to work with the Lord Mayor to ensure any new proposal he wants to put forward is considered as quickly as possible.

"But there are still a number of issues that need to be cleared up.

"Council should provide information to motorists that details delays during construction of the revised project.

"It should also clarify what permanent impact an extra set of lights would have not just on Coronation Drive and Hale St traffic but also across the road network."

Mr Lucas said motorists should also be told what cost savings would be delivered by scaling back the project on both sides of the river and whether those savings would be passed on as a reduced toll.

"It's common sense that a major reduction in scope, such as the one council is proposing, should lead to lower construction costs," Mr Lucas said.

"Motorists deserve to know whether they will save money on tolls with this scaled down project.

"The State Government took a responsible approach. We supported the original project and granted conditional tolling powers in May last year subject to council meeting some reasonable conditions, so council could get on with the job.

"But the traffic management plan they delivered to us in November - which included 50 minute peak-period delays each way, each day for two years - was not reasonable.

"The power to levy a toll granted by the state is not a rubber stamp and prior to granting approval to a significantly different project, we will need to have information available to the public about what these changes mean.

"Council has yet to provide the State Government with any formal designs or proposals on its scaled back project. As soon as they do, we will assess them.

"Make no mistake - we are committed to seeing the Hale Street bridge built but we will also ensure the public's interest is protected."

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 0419 757 868.

The Coordinator-General found that:

    * The State Government granted Brisbane City Council conditional approval to levy a toll on the bridge in May 2007, provided it lodged acceptable Traffic Management Plans for the construction and operating stages of the bridge.
    * Although Brisbane City Council had raised the issue of major traffic delays from the Hale Street Link project as early as late September, the Traffic Management Plan (TMP) was not submitted to Main Roads for consideration until November 7, 2007.
    * The TMP indicated additional delays of 50 minutes along Coronation Drive and 40 minutes along Milton Road during construction and also advised of lesser delays across the wider Brisbane road network.
    * Main Roads was following accepted practices and not being unreasonable with their requests for a TMP that did not impose extensive delays for motorists near the project and lesser delays across the wider road network.
    * For the full Hale Street Link project to proceed, with delays similar to those normally associated with road works on a major urban road instead of the 40-50 minute delays previously proposed would require a budget above the $245.5 million approved by council in 2006.
    * BCC did not fully consider suggested traffic plan solutions from Main Roads because it apparently did not want to increase its $245.5 million budget for the project.
    * As well as seeking to change the design on the northern end of the bridge to minimise major traffic impacts, BCC is seeking design changes to the southern end of the bridge which will also have to be investigated.
    * BCC needs to prepare a project modification report clearly outlining the proposed changes to the project and the impacts on surrounding intersections.
    * Users of the toll bridge may still gain similar benefits from a de-scoped project. BCC may also be able to build the downscaled project without major traffic delays and within its original budget. Any potential cost savings, benefits and impacts will not be known until the project is reassessed in March.
    * That further analysis will determine if motorists using the intersections on either side of the river will experience additional congestion as a result of the de-scoped project.
    * The project modification report should be provided to the State as a matter of priority so that it can assess the key measure of the conditional toll approval, namely an acceptable TMP and its implications on public transport.
    * Were BCC to formally request it, the Deputy Premier could declare the Hale Street Link project a "prescribed project' allowing the Coordinator-General to oversee a faster and more streamlined approval process.

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

[ozbob]

Govt to fast track Hale St Bridge


Article at Brisbanetimes click here!

Govt to fast track Hale St Bridge
Scott Casey | February 2, 2008 - 1:44PM

The Hale St Bridge could be a reality sooner than expected with the Queensland Government offering a way to fast track the project and end to weeks of bickering with Brisbane City Council (BCC).

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Paul Lucas the release of Coordinator-General Colin Jensen's report on the Hale Street Project, opened the way for the proposed bridge to be nominated as a "proscribed project" for speedier approval.

The report was produced after Mr Jenson spent two weeks meeting with officals from Main Roads, Queensland Transport and BCC.

Lord Mayor Campell Newman said he is happy that the Coordinator General had delivered his findings.

"I am delighted that the Coordinator General has seen the benefits of the Hale Street Bridge project," he said.

The report was commissioned after a spat broke out between the council and State Government in December when it was revealed that the council expected delays of up to 40-50 minutes on Coronation Drive and Milton Road during the 30 months of construction.

Recentl,y the council revised the bridge project, scaling down the traffic upgrades on the northern and southern ends of the proposed bridge to reduce traffic waiting times during construction which the government said was "unacceptable".

"Brisbane motorists expect the state government and council to work together to get the job done, and we're suggesting a way forward that will see this project underway as soon as possible." Mr Lucas said.

The minister also said he wanted the council to detail how changes would affect the project, including the level of the toll on the bridge.

"It's common sense that a major reduction in scope, such as the one council is proposing, should lead to lower construction costs," Mr Lucas said.

"Motorists deserve to know whether they will save money on tolls with this scaled down project.

"The power to levy a toll granted by the state is not a rubber stamp and prior to granting approval to a significantly different project, we will need to have information available to the public about what these changes mean."

Cr Newman said that he was eager for work to start on the project

"I want to get on with it. We will have a revised proposal to them as soon as possible and if we can get the costs down then we will try to have a lower toll," he said.

"I am happy there has been an end to this impasse."

Mr Lucas said that the government would asses any formal designs or proposals of the scaled down project as soon as they were provided.

"Make no mistake we are committed to seeing the Hale Street Bridge built but we will also ensure the public's interest is protected," he said.

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Hale St to 'raise traffic hell'

Hale St to 'raise traffic hell'
Tony Moore | February 5, 2008 - 5:09AM

Traffic delays on Coronation Drive will get worse - not better - under the revised Hale Street Bridge project being proposed by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman.

This has led to a traffic expert questioning the overall benefits of the project.

Brisbane City Council traffic modelling showed morning peak-hour traffic on Coronation Drive would be 40 seconds slower after the revised project is built.

The projected delays were outlined in a report into the Hale Street Link project by Queensland Co-ordinator General Colin Jensen.

Mr Jensen said it may even be necessary to divert traffic away from the intersection on Coronation Drive to avoid further delays.

He raised doubts about the benefit of the project's revised plan, which people would most likely not see before Brisbane City Council elections on March 15.

"A reduction in project scope is likely to result in reduced benefits and a likely reduction in cost," the report said.

"Accordingly, the project business case will need to be revisited to ensure that the value of the project is acceptable."

Brisbane City Council is unlikely to have new plans, at a reduced cost, ready until March 20.

Mr Jensen's report said while the scaled-back project "should be able to be built without undue traffic delays", the extra traffic lights on Coronation Drive and at South Brisbane reduced efficiency.

"It is my opinion that such an intersection could result in some worsening of traffic delays through the intersection, once operational," the report indicated.

This is because traffic across the bridge will have to be monitored by traffic lights on both Coronation Drive and the southern side of the river.

As a result, he questioned whether the project still offered good value for the investment.

The 300-metre bridge project has been costed at $245 million with a toll of around $2.30 (in 2006 dollars) to repay the project over 45 years.

Cr Newman said he would proceed with a scaled-back proposal - eliminating the flyovers on Coronation Drive - just last December, after Main Roads and Brisbane City Council disagreed about managing traffic problems caused during the construction.

A spokesman for Cr Newman said Brisbane City Council conceded 40 seconds would be added to peak-hour Coronation Drive traffic, but rejected suggestions the benefits of the project were substantially reduced.

"Of course it will be worse on Coronation Drive; we have to put in extra traffic lights," he said.

However, the spokesman said there would be overall benefits provided by the extra river crossings.

"Brisbane currently has 32 traffic lanes across the river in a city of a million people, and they are between 93 to 95 per cent capacity.

"So what happens when you get an accident on the Story Bridge, or the Gateway Bridge, or the William Jolly Bridge, it freezes up the entire city."

He said traffic would still choose to use the new Hale Street Link, despite the new traffic lights and the toll, because it would provide easier access to the Inner-City Bypass.

Meanwhile, the West End Community Association (WECA) continues to question the benefits of the Hale Street Bridge.

Vice president David Bratchford said it was time to scrap the project.

"Every project has a limit on its viability," Mr Bratchford said.

"That limit is reached when the cost-benefit analysis results in a negative impact. When the costs exceed the expected benefits, then the project's financial viability collapses.

"The viability of the Hale Street toll bridge project has clearly collapsed."

[ozbob]

From CAST click here!


WHAT PRICE FOR CITY HALL ACCOUNTABILITY?

Friday, February 08, 2008
Hale Street Bridge Update

WHAT PRICE FOR CITY HALL ACCOUNTABILITY?

by Darren Godwell, President, West End Community Association.

The State government's Co-ordinator General report on the inner-city toll-bridge at Hale Street paints a picture of an auction where the price keeps on rising well after you've made the final bid.

"For the HSL to proceed.would require an increased project budget above that of the $245 million approved by Council".

At the last council election candidate Newman made a $180 million promise to build a toll-bridge. Today Lord Mayor Newman says it'll cost $450 million.

The report's measured tone rings alarm bells - "it may be necessary for a new financial analysis.to ensure the project is good 'value' and is able to service the cost of project with the toll revenues collected."

The Co-ordinator General's insight tells us City Hall is having difficulty coming to grips with another major project. Sadly, if Newman persists the end result will be either a larger subsidy from the pockets of Brisbane's ratepayers through more rates increase or a top-up from the taxpayers of Queensland. So it's either the pockets of ratepayers or the pockets of taxpayers.

"Most projects of this size in recent times have been subject to significant cost-escalation pressures...It is likely that this project was also finding significant cost pressure and difficulty of remaining within the Council-approved budget."

The Lord Mayor's new alternative is to scale-back the approaches onto the bridge.

Logically, the State government finds that "a reduction in project scope is likely to result in reduced benefits [and] the project business case will need to be revisited to ensure that the 'value' of the project is acceptable".

Here's the rub. To test for "value" and to consider its "acceptability" before the local Council election we'll need to see City Hall's "project modification report". But Council's revised report is not due until the 20th March - five days after the election.

The Co-ordinator General rightly asks are we getting 'good value' from ratepayers' monies. To figure out what's 'good value' we'll also need to know if the project works.

The independent umpire reveals that City Hall made interesting choices from the beginning: "BCC did not seek the assistance of the Coordinator-General.BCC instead undertook a voluntary assessment process. However, a 'voluntary assessment process' may not necessarily be conducted with the same robustness and rigor."

Rigor was never to bother this process. Process became a rude joke when the Mayor's staff solicited big business and interstate relatives to make submissions supporting the proposal.

The latest revelation is City Hall's obligations under the "conditional approval" by the State government. Specifically, filing an acceptable "traffic management plan" for both construction and operational stages. Including a "public transport management plan" to detail impacts on non-car commuters.

We now know City Hall has only assessed a portion of the traffic impacts. Amazingly, the Coordinator General reveals, this project is only half tested. There is no assessment of the traffic impacts on the southern end.

"BCC was not asked to and did not submit a traffic management report for the proposed southside works. I note that Main Roads do not intend to request a traffic management report for these works as, in their opinion, any impact would be on local traffic only in the immediate area."

This finding points to the Labor majority in Council who approved the project without the full information on all of the impacts.

South Brisbane Councillor Helen Abrahams is left out on a limb by not knowing the impacts on local businesses, streets, suburbs and constituents. To a lesser degree, the local State Member, Anna Bligh, is also exposed by this oversight.

The Coordinator General recommends that State government compel City Hall for a traffic management plan for the southern side. This plan is critical to making an accurate assessment. The final report may prove unpalatable reading for the people of the Gabba, Highgate Hill, South Bank, South Brisbane and West End.

Once every four years, people hold their Lord Mayor and local Councillors to account. To do this properly, in the interest of seeing public monies well spent, the people of Brisbane will need to have all the pieces, traffic and financial, on the table before the election.

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

New council to get Hale St plans

New council to get Hale St plans
Tony Moore | March 17, 2008 - 5:01AM

Campbell Newman's new council will receive the revised Hale Street Link (HSL) bridge project plans this week, a spokesman for Deputy Premier and Infrastructure Minister Paul Lucas said yesterday.

The 300-metre bridge links Coronation Drive at Milton across to South Brisbane where traffic lights will guide traffic on and off the bridge on both the north and south side of the river.

The traffic lights in the revised project will replace the network of underpasses and ramps that originally allowed the traffic on Coronation Drive to flow freely, reducing delays and congestion.

However steps to reduce the delays while the project was built, pressured the costs of the original project, which was bursting and unable to be contained within the $245 million project budget (2006 dollars).

Introducing the extra traffic lights will also worsen traffic delays on Coronation Drive, an issue already acknowledged by the State Government and Lord Mayor Campbell Newman in February this year.

Cr Newman said on Saturday night after winning control of Brisbane City Council in his own right that he wants to meet with Premier Anna Bligh early in his second term to put the project back on the agenda.

"The Hale Street Link particularly is one project that needs to be expedited," he said again yesterday, flanked by senior councillors and rumoured rivals for the deputy mayoralty, Graham Quirk and Jane Prentice.

"I'm now looking, given the clear mandate I have on these matters, to take that project forward."

Campbell Newman promised to "scale back" the original $245 million project (in 2006 dollar terms), after the State Government requested changes to prevent major traffic delays during the 2.5 years construction period.

Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt reacted angrily after receiving Brisbane City Council's traffic management plan on November 7, 2007, which showed 50-minute delays on Coronation Drive for two years while the project was built.

Mr Pitt was also shocked at potential major delays on the Riverside Expressway.

Co-ordinator General Colin Jensen was appointed to the project by Mr Lucas in January to resolve the disagreements between Main Roads, Queensland Transport and Brisbane City Council.

A spokesman for Mr Lucas said the revised project would be received by Brisbane City Council this week.

"It has to go back to Brisbane City Council, because it is essentially a new project," the spokesman said.

"March 20 is still the deadline for the project to go back to Brisbane City Council," he said.

Main Roads, Queensland Transport and Brisbane City Council's Major Infrastructure Projects Office staff have been working on the revised Hale Street Link project since January.

It is understood the project has to be considered by the new Brisbane City Council and then re-submitted to the Co-ordinator-General for ratification of the traffic management implications of the project.

This is essential because the Queensland Government has to give final approval to allow Brisbane City Council to apply a toll to the project.

Brisbane City Council has already been given "conditional toll approval", but did not provide an adequate traffic management plan for the original project, which it needs to get final "toll" approval.

[Zoiks]

NO NO NO NO NO!
Reject it QLD Gov.

If they are intent on doing this infrastructure that will only increase congestion, they should do it properly. Not this half assed traffic light bullsh$t

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!

Hale St costs blow out

Hale St costs blow out
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Alison Sandy

April 29, 2008 02:20pm

THE cost of a scaled down-version of the Hale St link project has blown out to $307 million, Lord Mayor Campbell Newman announced today.

The new project, which awaits State Government approval, no longer provides a tunnel, or right hand-turn from Hale St onto Coronation Drive, but will still cost ratepayers an extra $50 million.

Cr Newman said he was disappointed by the new figure, but blamed the delay and new assessment works on the blow-out.

"It's a massive increase, I acknowledge that and it is indeed ultimately my responsibility," he said.

"Design unknowns have added considerably to the project. We've had the costs independently audited and in the current environment, this is a good price."

The plan has been put before today's Brisbane City Council meeting for approval, but Cr Newman is urging the State Government to get on board quickly to prevent costs from skyrocketing further.

"There is no alternative. The costs of continually putting these projects off will increase and congestion on our road will only increase as well and we have to move.

"The fact is that in the current climate, every month we delay will cost us another $2.5 million in escalating construction costs. The more we wait, the more this will cost."

However, the Lord Mayor wants to eventually convince the State Government to come on board with another more effective version, which will see the cost blow out even further to an estimated $370 million.

"I have instructed the Hale Street Link Alliance to provide cost estimates and detailed design on a viaduct option to ensure the flow of traffic on Coronation Drive is maintained when the bridge is open," he said.

"This will add to the cost, but I am hopeful that the State Government will see the benefits of this addition and provide some funding towards this important project."

[Mozz]

Roads cost millions and billionsof dollars - this is a no brainer and strangely enough most sane people on this planet understand that oil which currently drives cars is increasing in cost and will soon no longer be available.

Let's not throw millions/billions towards black tarmac which may well be a lost investment and instead invest in sustainable public transport eg rail/bus/ferry/light rail etc.

[stephenk]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Hale St to 'raise traffic hell'

"Brisbane currently has 32 traffic lanes across the river in a city of a million people, and they are between 93 to 95 per cent capacity.

....and it had just 2 rail tracks across the river in the city, at approx 95% capacity (assuming 20tph max). I think a new rail line is much more necessary than yet more roads!

[ozbob]

From Courier Mail click here!


Hale Street Bridge construction begins

Hale Street Bridge construction begins
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Alison Sandy

May 13, 2008 02:35pm

BRISBANE City Council has started work on the Hale Street Bridge, even though it's yet to get State Government approval for a toll bridge.



The project, which could cost from $307 million to over $370 million depending on which version is approved, will also provide for a temporary jetty 60m off the Brisbane River, to provide for construction of the bridge's southern pier.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said work on the bridge needed to start immediately.

"If we don't it will cost us an extra $600-700,000 each week," he said.

"I spoke to Minister (Warren) Pitt this morning to check if he was aware that we would kick this off and he seemed to be understanding of that."

While the bridge isn't due for completion until 2010, Cr Newman said it would proceed with the project with or without State Government support.

"If we can't toll it, then that will mean there's $300-370 million of expenditure elsewhere in the city that's vitally needed that will have to forgo," he said.

Cr Newman said preliminery bridge works would have minimal impacts on the community, with major construction not due to start until early next month. They include closure of Riverside Drive at West End to general traffic, cyclists and pedestrians, and the closure of the outbound lane on Coronation Drive from 10pm to 6am for up to three months.

Trees on the riverbank would also be removed or trimmed.

"Workers began drilling near Hale St at the north bank of the river last night for geotechnical testing," Cr Newman said.

"Over the next month, the community can expect to see works progressing on both sides of the river."

There are two versions of the project, one worth $307 million which Cr Newman has conceded won't make much difference to traffic congestion, and the other worth at least $370 million, to include a viaduct connecting Coronation Drive and the Riverside Expressway. It would also include a right-hand-turning lane from Hale St.

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Third time lucky for Hale St plan?

Third time lucky for Hale St plan?
Tony Moore | June 10, 2008 - 5:23AM

Changes will be made to the proposed Hale Street Link, with a two-lane overpass to be built over the Coronation Drive intersection to give outbound traffic a clear run out of the city.

Under the existing plan, motorists battling afternoon peak hour would be caught at traffic lights at the junction, adding up to nine minutes to their journey.

While the State Government has yet to give Brisbane City Council the green light to fix a toll on the proposed cross-river link, it has promised to reimburse $30 million to allow the new overpass to be built.

Brisbane City Council's Deputy Mayor Graham Quirk confirmed the change after Premier Anna Bligh told State Parliament last week the Queensland Government would return $30 million the council had already "invested" in the Airport Link project on Brisbane's northside.

Cr Quirk said the new overpass would allow motorists leaving the city via Coronation Drive an uninterrupted run past Hale Street.

"The viaduct is over the Hale Street Link, but it links the Riverside Expressway and Coronation Drive," Cr Quirk said.

"When traffic is coming along the South East Freeway, it would ordinarily, under the currently-approved project, have a set of traffic lights at Hale Street which would cause a banking back of traffic on the freeway," he said.

"The viaduct will mean that there will be an overpass, if you like, over the top of the Hale Street Link."

"So when you are coming along the South East Freeway you have two lanes over the top of Hale Street into Coronation Drive."

Cr Quirk said the extra work would add $60 million to the cost of the project, previously tipped to reach $307 million when the scaled back version was unveiled in April.

"The estimated cost (of the viaduct), presented about a month ago, was $60 million and the State are saying that they would like this money from Airport Link to go towards a contribution from them towards that viaduct," Cr Quirk said.

The State Government wrote to Lord Mayor Campbell Newman on June 2, making the offer.

Cr Quirk, who chairs Brisbane City Council's Infrastructure Committee, said it would make a major difference to road congestion expected be caused by traffic lights at the intersection.

"There is no doubt that it would have caused a bank-up of traffic on the South East Freeway, so this viaduct option will relieve that," he said.

"So it is a major benefit to the state road network, and I think the Premier has recognised that, and therefore these monies are made as a state contribution towards (it)."

The new overpass on Coronation Drive will be built over four to six months during the university holidays, from November 2009 to March 2010, he said.

The council will consider the finer details of the amendment at a special meeting to be held during council recess in July.

Cr Quirk said the State Government realised there would be long delays on Coronation Drive and the Riverside Expressway if the viaduct over the Hale Street Link was not built.

He warned the overpass would cause major delays during the construction phase, however.

In December, Main Roads minister Warren Pitt reacted angrily when he learned Brisbane City Council's initial proposal would add 50 minutes to travel times and cause traffic to bank back 6.2 kilometres down the Riverside Expressway while a system of interchanges were built.

Cr Quirk said the State Government's refusal to give tolling approval for the project would not influence this week's council budget.

"(There will be) no difficulty at all really, because the tolling won't affect the current budget, or the one after that," he said.

"We are bounding ahead on the assumption that tolling approval will ultimately be given."

"We are hearing the right political noises that tolling will ultimately be given."

Mr Pitt is unlikely to make his decision before the end of July.

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

You clowns! Protesters hit William Jolly Bridge

You clowns! Protesters hit William Jolly Bridge
Tony Moore | June 16, 2008 - 1:41PM

Demonstrators dressed as clowns today to protest what they describe as the foolishness of plans to build a second road bridge across to South Brisbane.

Brisbane City Council has already voted to approve the Hale Street Link (HSL) which means a toll bridge will run from the Inner City Bypass at Hale Street near Milton across the river to South Brisbane.

It is now awaiting approval from the State Government to be able to charge a toll, which will reduce the impact of the $370 million project project on ratepayers.

Stop the Hale Street Bridge spokesman David Bratchford rejected suggestions today's protest on the William Jolly Bridge was a waste of time.

"We don't believe (the bridge) is done and dusted," Mr Bratchford said.

"We think Brisbane ratepayers are none too happy having record rates increases to pay for this sort of foolishness, where the Lord Mayor is wasting millions of ratepayers' dollars on a project which won't work, that will actually make congestion worse.

"What he should be doing is investing in proven commuter solutions like every other sensible city in the world is doing."

Brisbane City City Council added 337 buses to its bus fleet during Cr Newman's first four-year term.

David Bratchford said blocking traffic for a short period of time on the William Jolly Bridge across to South Brisbane did not simply demonstrate that there was need for a second bridge to the area.

"Only a clown would build another bridge only a couple of hundred metres from this bridge and feeding into the same congested roads," he said.

"So what it is going to do is attract a lot of extra traffic into this area, but dump them on the same roads onto either side of the river.

"Into Merivale street, Cordelia street (at South Brisbane) and into the ICB (Inner City Bypass at Milton) which we already know is chocker in peak hours."

In a clear sign of support for the project, the State Government announced last week it would "return" close to $30 million to Brisbane City Council for it to use to build a $60 million "overpass" over the Coronation Drive/Hale Street intersection.

This is designed to stop outbound traffic waiting at traffic lights as it left Brisbane City along the Riverside Expressway.

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

New Hale St plan to cut snarls

New Hale St plan to cut snarls
Shannon Molloy | July 14, 2008 - 2:14PM

A new design for the Hale Street link project could cut traffic disruption during the construction phase by at least 12 months, Brisbane's Lord Mayor said today.

The revised plan, to include an overpass from the Riverside Expressway to Coronation Drive, will be presented to Brisbane City Council at a special meeting this afternoon.

It would require the closure of the right hand turn lane from Hale Street into Coronation Drive from January next year and would come at a cost of $370 million.

Liberal Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said in addition, the council would put "millions of dollars on the table" in financial incentives to building contractors who could cut traffic disruption from an estimated 18 months to between just four and six months by completing the project quickly.

The offer comes after council planners were forced back to the drawing board by the State Government amid complaints expected traffic disturbances during construction were unacceptable.

Labor spokeswoman Councillor Shayne Sutton is to address the media shortly to respond to the plan.

Cr Newman said an additional benefit of the new design was that the overpass would remove the requirment for outbound traffic to queue at an intersection.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

$55 million overpass to link with Riverside Expressway

$55 million overpass to link with Riverside Expressway
Article from: The Courier-Mail

By Alison Sandy

July 15, 2008 12:00am

COMMUTERS will be hit with delays of almost an hour during the construction of a viaduct as part of the $370 million Hale Street Bridge project.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman yesterday released plans for the $55 million overpass linking Coronation Drive with the Riverside Expressway, using his Liberal majority to get the revised project through Brisbane City Council.

Its addition is expected to cause significant delays for up to six months in the new year, but Cr Newman said there were major incentives for the construction company to get the job done as quickly as possible.

"There's millions of dollars on the table to come in under four months," he said.

"If they take longer than four months, they will be penalised."

Motorists will also no longer be able to turn right on Hale St during the overpass construction, and an inbound lane on Coronation Drive will be removed from November 2009 to February 2010.

Work has begun  for the Hale Street Bridge, which will provide a tolled 60km/h four-lane cross-river connection from Coronation Drive and Hale St in Milton to Montague Rd, Merivale and Cordelia streets in South Brisbane.

Cr Newman submitted plans for a "vanilla" version of the project in April as details for the viaduct were not ready and he wanted to proceed immediately to prevent costly delays.

He acknowledged the cost of the project had heavily exceeded the original estimate he delivered in 2002.

"It started out in the range of $130 million to $160 million but we've covered that, we acknowledge that," he said.

"The point is over the past four years, construction costs have gone through the roof."

The project is also proceeding without State Government approval for a $2.40 toll in current dollar terms.

Cr Newman warned if approval were not forthcoming, other road projects promised in the budget would suffer.

"The ball's in the State Government's court - if they want to see traffic congestion dealt with in Brisbane, they will give approval," he said.

A spokesman for Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said a decision would be made within weeks once plans were lodged.

"The ball is squarely in the Lord Mayor's court - he needs to get his submission finalised and get it into the State Government so we can start considering it," he said.

The project is meant to save travel time of 12 to 15 minutes across the river and up to 10 minutes for motorists using the viaduct.

Stop the Hale St Bridge Alliance spokesman David Bratchford said the final price tag was too steep.

[ozbob]

Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
06/08/2008

State Government gives tollway project approval for Hale Street bridge

The State Government has given the green light to Brisbane City Council's Hale Street Link after ensuring that vital improvements were made to the project.

Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the State Government had secured an outbound viaduct over Coronation Drive and Hale Street intersection to offset impacts on the Riverside Expressway and Pacific Motorway.

Further changes to the project mean that significant impacts on roads during construction will be limited to a four month period between November 2009 and February 2010 instead of up to 15 months under the original council plan.

"Main Roads has worked to amend the proposal to offer better outcomes for Brisbane motorists," Mr Pitt said.

"Brisbane City Council has come to the table with changes that will reduce the amount of traffic disruption the project will cause during its construction."

The Minister said that under its original council design traffic impacts could have seen vehicles banking up 6km down the Pacific Motorway for more than a year during construction.

"I think Brisbane motorists and public transport users would agree that simply was not an option," he said.

"While some degree of disruption is unavoidable when a project of this kind is undertaken, good planning can make it less painful for motorists.

"The changes mean that estimated peak-hour delays on Milton Road have been reduced from up to 50 minutes for up to 15 months of construction to 10 to 20 minutes over the four-month high impact period, which coincides with school and university holidays when traffic volumes are lower.

"But there are still lengthy delays expected on Council's Coronation Drive, including the addition of up to 50 minutes to an inbound trip.

"This is where we believe there is still some further work for the council to do and the ball is in the council's court to come up with suitable measures to further mitigate traffic impacts.

"There are other impacts on Council roads in the area, particularly in the Milton and South Brisbane precincts, and on public transport services for Brisbane residents.

"Brisbane City Council will need to address these ongoing issues as part of its responsibility for the local road network."

Mr Pitt said Main Roads would continue to work with the council to help it develop and implement the best possible measures during construction to mitigate likely impacts.

"I have written to the Lord Mayor today requesting that the council develop further traffic and public transport mitigation measures to minimise impacts," he said.

"That includes consideration of the implementation of bus priority measures on Coronation Drive that will give bus passengers travel-time reliability and complement the public transport outcomes sought as part of the council's business case for the nearby Northern Link project."

Conditional approval for the tollway project was originally granted in May 2007. This approval has now been amended to reflect the current plans for the project. Initial construction work on the project is already underway.

Approval for the revised tollway project involves a number of conditions relating to traffic, land and stakeholder impacts, which Brisbane City Council must meet before final tolling approval is provided.

Mr Pitt said the conditional tolling approval recognised the Hale Street project was a council project, on council-controlled roads and largely funded by the council.

"It is undoubtedly Brisbane City Council's responsibility to fund and build this project as it and its ratepayers see fit."

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

[ozbob]

http://www.halestreetlink.com.au/home/inner.asp?pageID=65&mainID=0

Hale Street to Coronation Drive

From 5 January 2009 the right turn lanes from Hale Street to Coronation Drive (towards Toowong) will be temporarily closed until completion of Hale Street Link in mid 2010.

More than ever, more services are needed on the Ipswich line ....

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Traffic chaos expected as Hale Street bridge work begins

Traffic chaos expected as Hale Street bridge work begins
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Alex Dickinson

January 04, 2009 11:00pm

BRISBANE motorists can expect chaos this morning when construction of the Hale Street bridge severs a heavily used western suburbs link.
But Brisbane City Council says traffic delays will be much less than expected.

From today, the right-hand turn lane from Hale St to Coronation Drive will be closed, with up to 900 vehicles an hour from the northside having to find an alternative route.

The lane will be closed for at least the next 18 months.

The $370 million Hale Street Link project is due to be completed in July next year, connecting Hale St to Merivale and Cordelia streets. There will also be a viaduct from Coronation Drive to the Riverside Expressway.

Deputy Mayor and infrastructure chairman Graham Quirk said commuters from the northside would only experience a maximum 15-minute delay during construction.

This is despite 8000 vehicles a day using the route, 900 an hour in peak times.

Delays were earlier expected to be up to 50 minutes before the State Government downsized the project.

Cr Quirk yesterday downplayed claims the construction would lead to a traffic disaster.

"I think when we see an accident, on any of the major roads like Milton Rd or Coronation Drive, it's going to be a disaster anyway," he said.

"If there are crashes on the Gateway Arterial, the Story Bridge or some other river crossing, this whole city grinds to a halt. We have to do these projects and take the necessary short term pain to give the long term benefits."

Cr Quirk said motorists would be guided by new signs directing them to alternative routes - via Caxton St, Castlemaine St, Milton Rd and Cribb St to get to Coronation Drive.

But Labor Opposition Leader Shayne Sutton said the construction would lead to dangerous rat-running into nearby residential streets.

[Derwan]

The council keeps telling us how this bridge will relieve congestion when there are accidents or other events that block one of the other river crossings.  My prediction is that this is the only time the bridge will actually be used!

As a north side resident, I think that removing the ability to turn right onto Coronation Drive is ridiculous.  Once the bridge is built, they will only reinstate ONE right-turn lane instead of two.  This means that traffic will bank up along the ICB - including those heading towards the SE Freeway.  But then I guess they want to force drivers either into the tolled tunnel or over the tolled bridge.

Again - the wrong people are paying the tolls.  Start charging the people CAUSING the congestion, not those trying to avoid it!!

[ButFli]

Again - the wrong people are paying the tolls.  Start charging the people CAUSING the congestion, not those trying to avoid it!!

If you are in a car you are CAUSING congestion. There is no way to deny it. If you don't want to be TOLLED for the congestion YOU cause use public transport. Otherwise suck it up and pay the true cost of the resources you consume.

[Derwan]

Otherwise suck it up and pay the true cost of the resources you consume.

I agree - but congestion costs.  The more cars there are in a certain area, the more traffic lights, monitoring, sophisticated systems and general maintenance it requires.  Shouldn't the drivers of the cars "consuming those resources" pay the cost?

Instead we have bridges, roads and tunnels to avoid those congested areas.  People who avoid the congestion are forced to pay a toll to pay off the infrastructure required as a result of cars in the congested area - and yet the drivers who continue to use the congested area get off scott free!

Think of it another way - shouldn't we be encouraging motorists to avoid congested areas?  How can this happen when they're expected to pay for it?

[ButFli]

Think of it another way - shouldn't we be encouraging motorists to avoid congested areas?  How can this happen when they're expected to pay for it?

The scheme they have in Sydney for the PPP toll roads is perfect - either close the parallel non-toll road to through traffic or at least reduce it to one lane in each direction. That way everybody gets the benefit and everybody pays the toll. It works perfectly in every situation.

Of course there must also be a ban on constructing competing public transport infrastructure as part of the PPP deal. Not a good thing in most cases.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

New train service as Hale Street congestion bites

New train service as Hale Street congestion bites
Tony Moore | January 9, 2009 - 4:41AM

Extra trains are likely to be added to the Ipswich line next month to help alleviate traffic headaches resulting from the Hale Street Bridge project.

A new early-morning service from Darra - capable of ferrying 750 passengers to the city - is being added from Monday morning, with additional Ipswich-City services tipped to be added from February.

The first new six-carriage service will depart Darra at 6.35am, arriving at Central Station at 7.04am.

Rail lobby group Rail: Back on Track welcomed the changes and said the pressure to act quickly was a response to likely problems next week on Milton Road and Coronation Drive from the Hale Street Bridge project.

Since Monday, traffic has been unable to turn right from Hale Street on to Coronation Drive, a move predicted to cause major snarls for traffic getting to the University of Queensland and further west from the Inner City Bypass.

Rail: Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said the extra Monday train service would be effective.

"This will run a few minutes ahead of the 6.14am service from Ipswich to Darra and will help ameliorate the gross overloading that has been occurring on this service from Indooroopilly; the notorious 6.43am service from Oxley," Mr Dow said.

He said extra trains had to be added to the Ipswich line before commuters would abandon their cars as the Hale Street Bridge problems became more obvious.

New trains would also be added next month, Mr Dow believed.

"We look forward to further additions to the Ipswich line timetable in February, as indicated by QR (Queensland Rail) Passenger Services through the QR Ipswich Line Community Reference Group," Mr Dow said.

"The Hale Street Link project will no doubt also lead to more passengers on the Ipswich line, particularly as road congestion bites so these additional services will be very timely."

Rail: Back on Track wrote to the Hale Street Link project team in November 2007 asking it to consider extra trains on the Ipswich line during the disruptive construction period.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman responded in December 2007, advising that Queensland Rail was invited to join the team to negotiate the impact of the Hale Street Link project.

In early 2008 there was a major dispute between Brisbane City Council and the State Government over the impact of the Hale Street Link project on local transport.

It was not until late 2008 that the State Government gave Brisbane City Council approval to impose a toll on the Hale Street Bridge after transport issues were resolved.

However, a Transport Department spokeswoman said the Hale Street Link project was a only a "side issue" in the decision to put extra trains on the Ipswich line.

The spokeswoman would only say the extra trains on the Ipswich line were still being considered and could be added in "the first quarter" of 2009.

[glen_2006]

Further additions to the timetable in February...sounds good to us! Although, I was under the impression that Coronation Drive merge close-off would affect more-so the traffic coming from the North than West. But, if theres extra train services - whose complaining? 

[ButFli]

I don't think the right-hand-turn-from-Hale-St-closure is meant to affect traffic from the west at all. In the initial construction plan there was talk of lane closures on Corro Drive and the use of stop-go men. I think that's what the original concerns were about.

[ozbob]

From the Sunday Mail click here!

$16 billion to create infrastructure upheaval

$16 billion to create infrastructure upheaval
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

Sarah Vogler

January 24, 2009 11:00pm

TRAFFIC jams and delays arising from roadworks are set to increase as infrastructure projects get into full swing around the state of Queensland.

Many projects have been fast-tracked as part of State Government-led initiatives to offset job losses in mining and other industries.

Some roadworks are council/state attempts to ease peak-hour traffic headaches.

Brisbane and Gold Coast motorists will be among the worst affected from this week on as traffic flows reach full force with the return to school.

In roads around some big Brisbane projects ? including the Hale St Link, river tunnel and Northern Busway ? the holiday traffic respite ended more than a week ago and long delays are now routine.

Drivers using Shafston Ave at Kangaroo Point, Bowen Bridge Rd at Herston and Coronation Drive at Milton also have daily delays.

Upgrades to the Gateway Motorway between Lytton Rd and Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Rd and the continuing Ipswich Motorway work will add to the woes of road commuters.

Other projects this year include the widening of Bracken Ridge Rd from two lanes to four between Barfoot St and Norris St and between Lot St and Norris Rd. The project carries a $16.8 million price tag.

Kingsford Smith Drive and Nudgee Rd will also be upgraded, for $12.5 million.

Several intersections are being upgraded to improve safety.

They include:

? New Cleveland and Tilley roads, Gumdale.

? Meadowlands and Preston roads, Carina.

? Mains Rd and the Sunnybank Plaza Shopping Centre entry, Sunnybank.

Brisbane Deputy Mayor Graham Quirk acknowledged the going would be tough for motorists over the next year, but he said the gains would be worth it.

"If we have some delays as a result of undertaking these jobs now, it means that those delays are short-term rather than long-term," Cr Quirk said.

RACQ traffic and safety executive manager John Wikman urged motorists to stay calm and try to find alternative routes until the interruptions subsided.

He raised concerns about Brisbane City Council's intention to put tolls on some of the new projects.

"The concern about a toll road is that there is always that possibility people won't use them," Mr Wikman said.

"If people don't want to (pay) then they are going to stick to the routes they know best."

On the Sunshine Coast, major projects include the $14.5 million Eenie Creek Rd upgrade at Noosaville, the replacement of the Dusty Rhodes Bridge at Diddillibah beginning in March, and the upgrade of Dixon Rd at Buderim.

On the Gold Coast, M1 users can expect to deal with roadworks and reduced speed for at least the next 12 months as the Department of Main Roads works to upgrade the southern end from Nerang to Varsity Lakes.

Logan City's infrastructure committee deputy chairman, Ray Hackwood, said the council's major-road projects budget in 2008-09 was a record $8.5 million, up $2.5 million from the previous year.

Projects include a Third Ave extension at Berrinba, Zander St intersection upgrade at Beenleigh, and works in Brigalow St at Marsden, Logan Reserve Rd at Logan Reserve and Plunkett Rd at Yarrabilba.

Townsville residents are dealing with roadworks associated with port access.

The first stage, the Stuart Bypass, began in August last year and has about a year to completion.

Get on your bike to beat roadworks:

CYCLISTS are urging disgruntled motorists to buy a bike and cycle to work to beat the woes of roadworks.

There will be more cycle opportunities in Brisbane than ever before, with a Paris-style bike-hire scheme starting March 2010 ? Lord Mayor Campbell Newman signed a contract with the service provider on Thursday ? and a record $100 million to be spent on new bikeways by 2012.

Brisbane Bicycle Touring Association vice-president Maurice Quirke has been riding from the inner-city suburb of Bulimba to the northern Brisbane suburb of Stafford for work for the past four years.

Mr Quirke said the 20km-plus ride often proved much quicker than going by car.

"It takes me about 35 minutes," he said.

"It could be an hour and a half (in a car) if there is a traffic accident."

Mr Quirke said as well as gaining valuable exercise while beating traffic jams, the ride was also good for de-stressing after a day's work.

"Coming home, it's very relaxing," he said.

"When there's a traffic jam it's fabulous because you pass them."

Mr Quirke said he was glad he did not have to worry about the record amount of roadworks taking place across the state this year.

He urged other drivers worried about the increasing commute to take his lead and hop on a bike.

"'We always recommend getting on a bike," he said.

"It all depends on where you live and how safe it is."

Mr Quirke said cyclists were often worried about the danger of riding on the road with traffic, but he urged them to give it a go.

"Do the right thing and keep to the side and keep steady ? be a little bit courteous."

Mr Quirke recently came back from a riding holiday in Europe, and said cyclists were accepted as valid road-users there.

He said he hoped as more and more cyclists took to the Brisbane's roads, attitudes would begin to change in the state capital as well.

[ozbob]

From Quest Westside News 21st January 2009 page 3

[ozbob]

The correct url is http://www.halestreetlink.com.au/home/default.asp  towards the bottom of the page there SMS alert signup.

You can sign up for free SMS alerts,  I have ... LOL

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Hale St bridge takes extra $4m toll

Hale St bridge takes extra $4m toll
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Ursula Heger

March 04, 2009 11:00pm

BRISBANE City Council ratepayers will pay $4 million a year to collect tolls for the Hale St bridge when it opens in the Queensland capital next year.

Council this week agreed to pay Leighton Contractors $21.6 million over five years for running the cashless toll.

Motorists will pay $2.40 in 2008 dollars to cross the four-lane bridge, which links Milton and South Brisbane.

A council spokesman said the $4 million-a-year operational cost for the toll was separate from the $370 million capital cost for the bridge.

He said that while the contract with Leighton's would be reviewed in 2015, the council would continue to pay for the cost of collecting tolls until the project was paid off in about 45 years.

Council's budget for this financial year estimated the Hale St Link would make $20.4 million in its first two years of operation.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman defended the bridge in a statement. "Our 32 traffic lanes across the Brisbane River are at 95 per cent capacity, which is why we need another bridge," he said.

Council Labor leader Shayne Sutton said the cost of the bridge was putting a strain on ratepayers.

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Hale Street Link hell as projects put brakes on traffic

Hale Street Link hell as projects put brakes on traffic
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Ursula Heger

August 12, 2009 12:00am

MOTORISTS using roads around the $380 million Hale Street Link in central Brisbane face morning peak-hour delays of up to 50 minutes.

Brisbane City Council officers yesterday told the Infrastructure Committee that motorists on Milton Rd could expect delays of up to 40 minutes between November and next February, and up to 30-minute delays for westbound traffic on the Riverside Expressway.

This will coincide with morning delays of up to 50 minutes on Coronation Drive, while one lane is closed to complete an overpass for the cross-river project linking South Brisbane and Milton.

Last night the State Government had not signed off on the traffic-management plan for the project, and was still negotiating with Council to reduce delays.

Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace said the size of traffic delays had not been cleared by the Government, despite his predecessor Warren Pitt giving the Hale St Link a green light last August.

"I won't accept a traffic-management plan that causes unacceptable delays to motorists," he said. "While delays are inevitable when you have large infrastructure projects being built in high-traffic areas, the council must do everything it can to minimise them."

Two years ago Council was forced to downsize the project when the State Government objected to local traffic delays of up to 50 minutes over the 15 months of construction.

Deputy Mayor Graham Quirk said the delays were necessary and could not be avoided without removing trees lining Coronation Drive.

Cr Quirk said it was in the State Government's interest to approve the traffic delays, because without the project Brisbane's congestion would become worse.

Council opposition leader Shayne Sutton said the delays were a further example of project mismanagement.

"Once again, we see the Hale St Bridge making traffic congestion worse, not better," she said.

"The Lord Mayor has mismanaged this project from start of finish.

"On top of this project's massive cost-blowouts and dodgy traffic projections, residents will now have to suffer further traffic delays of up to 50 minutes."

Cr Sutton said the delays would cause major issues with rat-running in Paddington, Milton and Auchenflower.

"(Cr Newman) should be demanding Council's traffic engineers dedicate their time to coming up with some plans to alleviate the mess he has caused because of his poor planning," Cr Sutton said.

[ozbob]

Media Release 12 August 2009

SEQ:  Hale St Link project will impact on public transport

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has highlighted the impacts of the Hale St Link project in terms of congestion crises on an already overloaded peak public transport particularly the Ipswich railway line services since 2007! (1).  Recent media confirms that the road congestion chaos will be considerable so now is the time to ramp up services on the Ipswich railway line to give the capacity so that motorists and bus passengers coming in from the western regions will be able to escape the mess (2).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"There is no doubt we are about to enter into a very difficult time on Brisbane's roads, particularly around the Hale St Link project.  Now is the time to ramp up rail services so that buses can feed into key stations on the main western line and provide commuters with a quick transit by rail through to the CBD."

"Measures will need to be taken by TransLink, Brisbane Transport and QR Passenger to drive change.  Fundamental is the need to schedule more rail services, particularly in the peaks to handle the increase in patronage that will occur as motorists become frustrated with hours spent in traffic jams. We would also suggest that motorists that do make the change to public transport will continue to use public transport once they realise how efficient it can be.  They will save time and money.  They will leave less of an environmental impact.  They are less likely to suffer an injury on the way to and from their daily toil.  They might actually experience some exercise at the beginning and end of their public transport commute.  These are all positive outcomes and we should be doing our utmost to drive change."

"Other measures to assist will be further encouragement to travel early and late, and off peaks.  The go card provides an easy way to implement such a strategy (3)."

"Time that all transport agencies and authorities worked to together to provide citizens with real options.  We look forward to the details of how public transport services will be increased to cope with the ever worsening road congestion in Brisbane."

References:

1.  Hale St Bridge Project - Impact on Ipswich line http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=52.

2.  Hale Street Link hell as projects put brakes on traffic http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25917161-952,00.html

3.  SEQ: Time to GO! http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=2528.0


Contact:

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[ozbob]

Some interesting comments on the blog to today's CM article on the Hale St Link.  More than one blogger is asking about bus lanes?  

--> http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/comments/0,,25917161-952,00.html

Links from one of the blogs --> http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/comments/0,23836,22509095-3102,00.html

Also see this:

--> Coro drive?s triple bypass op

[Jon Bryant]

The "traffic disruptions" can be easily avoided by knocking down both the "overpasses" (i.e. the existing one and the half built one) and replace with an intersection and lights.   Brisbane must be the only City in the world that continues to build freeway style roads along its river and through it inner suburbs.  Madness. Sheer madness.  The removal of these 2 eyesores overpasses will make the surrounding environment more pedestrian friendly as well.  Bring back the Bus Lanes immediately too.!!!! 

[mufreight]

Quite obviously the response to the delays that will be created with the Hale Street roadworks and bridge construction will have to be rail based, there is not sufficent road capacity to overcome the capacity deficit that these works will create.
Questions arise as to the originating point of these displaced road commuters and it would seem that a considerable proportion originate their journey beyond the Centenary Highway Ipswich Motorway so a logical step would be to add additional rail capacity to attract commuters from that area to0 rail.
Existing services in the morning and evening peaks are at capacity and there is a need for additional services to cater for these commuters displaced from road.
At a minimum there should be four (4) additional inbound services on the Ipswich line but to encourage the motorists to use rail additional car parking will be required and in the intrim period of the Hale Street construction, this can readily be provided at minimum cost at Redbank, Wacol and Darra.
At Redbank the currently disused coal sidings on the down side could be removed and graveled to provide possibly an additional 300 car parking spaces, at Wacol the unused section of the sidings on the down side of the line at the Ipswich end of the station (old waggon repair and grain sidings) could also be utilised in the same manner as at Redbank and currently vacant land adjoining the existing car park and Warrender Street could be also leased short term and graveled to provide a further 200+ parking spaces.
Services could be operated using six car sets which in the AM peak could originate from either Ipswich or from Redbank, (the electrified workshops entry line could be used to stable two six car sets overnight to reduce dead running), these services would operate all stations to Graceville then express to Roma Street with stops at Indooroopilly, Toowong and Milton then through the CBD and onto the Exhibition loop at Bowen Hills this would allow these services if needed to return express on the main to Redbank, Darra or Corinda for a second trip.
For the PM peak these services could originate initally from Mayne and run through using the main line again to a Roma Street Milton Toowoong, Indooroopilly, Graceville and all stations through to Redbank where if needed these services could be turned back and run express to Bowen Hills via the Main and Exhibition loop to through the hole in the wall to commence a further trip from Fortitude Valley.
These additional services would receive the maximum possible utilisation with minimum effect on existing timetabled services.
On the completion of the Hale Street projrct these additional services could be wound back or retained to suit the demand again with minimum disruption to the existing timetable.
The key would be the avaliability of rollingstock.