Roads - articles and discussion

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

End of the road for transit lanes?

End of the road for transit lanes?
April 11, 2013 - 2:20PM
Katherine Feeney

They were billed as congestion-busters. Designed to minimise commute times and maximise positive environmental returns by encouraging us to carpool or catch buses, transit lanes were rolled out across Brisbane, southeast Queensland and the rest of the nation from the early nineties.

But in the past few years the popularity of the "high-occupancy vehicle lane" appears to have waned. Commuters stuck on Brisbane's clogged roads despair at the apparently empty lanes, while politicians try to curry favour by proposing the "quick fix" of a bigger, wider road network.

Late last year, Brisbane City Council removed transit lanes at Norman Park. Earlier, former lord mayor Campbell Newman pulled T3 lanes from Coronation Drive.

Just a few weeks ago, the state government acted on a promise to rip up T2 lanes on the Pacific Motorway.
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Now, as the motorway's old transit stretches are replaced with extra car lanes, the Department of Transport has launched an investigation into the effectiveness of T2 lanes at Anzac Avenue, Rothwell.

This comes as Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal our continued love affair with the car.

According to the 2011 census, 58.7 per cent of commuters in Brisbane said they travelled to work using only their car, compared with 58 per cent in 2006.

But as the number of drivers increased, the number of car passengers fell, with just 5.6 per cent of car-bound commuters travelling as passengers in 2011, compared with 6.1 per cent in 2006.

However, there has been a slight increase in the number of people using public transport. In 2006, 8.36 per cent of people travelling to work did so using only a train, bus or ferry; in 2011 that rose to 9.3 per cent.

So are transit lanes less important now more of us are using public transport? Or, given the growing number of people choosing to commute only by car, do transit lanes still serve a purpose?

"The main intention for transit lanes is really to get more buses on roads running more frequently with more people on board," says Associate Professor Jonathan Bunker, a civil engineering expert at the Queensland University of Technology.

"But we do have the secondary aspect of the T2 concept, which is to try to get people to carpool."

Both uses play a part in reducing traffic congestion and negative environmental impacts. However, Professor Bunker says one is significantly easier to achieve than the other; as the figures show, we're less inclined to share a car to work now than we were six years ago.

"There's only so much we can do to change people's behaviour – you can't have carpooling raised as a permanent solution [to congestion troubles] with the lives we lead today," he says.

"If there's a case for a transit lane, it's about buses – we'll allow high-occupancy vehicles as an added benefit."

Dr Mahmoud Mesbah Namini, a transport network analyst at the University of Queensland, agrees.

"Our research shows carpooling is effective in terms of reducing congestion, depending on the case, but in general people are less likely to make the decision to share a car, as they are to travel on a bus," he says. "But only if the bus is supported as part of an integrated public transport system."

And buses on transit lanes are only effective if they are high frequency.

Both experts agree there is no point to transit lanes that support infrequent, half-empty buses, or replicate the effect of a dedicated busway such as the one built adjacent to the now scratched Pacific Motorway T2 lanes.

As such, the city could benefit from transit lanes along roads already heavy with well-patronised buses. Professor Bunker suggests Milton, Gympie, Ipswich and Old Cleveland roads could all benefit from transit lanes.

"Old Cleveland carries about 60 buses per hour during the morning peak," he says. "That's 2500 passengers you can push through. A bus lane looks really attractive then."

Professor Bunker would also like to see transit lanes return to Coronation Drive, a plan already being considered at City Hall.

Though deputy mayor Adrian Schrinner said a decision on reinstating the transit lanes was not planned until after the completion of the $1.5 billion Legacy Way tunnel, he said it was being considered.

Transit lanes were also "under consideration" as the council continues to finalise the design for Kingsford Smith Drive he said.

"Transit lanes are designed to improve the overall traffic flow, and where that continues to occur we will keep those transit lanes," he said.

But as Dr Namini points out, transit lanes are only one aspect of a very complex problem.

"There should be a holistic view when it comes to public transport," he said.

"If you want to send the message that there is support for public transport and support a behaviour change in people, we should not only look at one project or scheme, we should look at all the schemes.

"Brisbane has some serious problems in terms of all of this, but perhaps the biggest problem is that of budgets, and how committed people actually are to change."

[ozbob]

Tom Tom Congestion Index http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/congestionindex/

TomTom Australia and New Zealand Congestion Index Annual report 2012
--> http://www.tomtom.com/lib/doc/congestionindex/2013-0322-TomTom-CongestionIndex-2012-Annual-AUNZ-mi.pdf

[ozbob]

Another morning in Brisbane ...

Twitter

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 18s
C O N G E S T I O N .. Gympie Rd IB from Linkfield Rd to Beams Rd - Carseldine . . . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 30s
C O N G E S T I O N .. Gateway Mwy SB from Bald Hills to Boondall . . . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 42s
C O N G E S T I O N .. Ipswich Mwy EB from Darra to Oxley . . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 53s
C O N G E S T I O N .. Western Fwy IB from Moggill Rd - Indooroopilly . . . . .

[Jonno]

Ah the morning traffic cliches!!! Love them!!!

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Fixing nation's worst highway is a matter of life and death

[curator49]

And the Brisbane Times this morning has an article stating that the traffic congestion in Brisbane is getting better not worse!!!!!!
"Traffic Not So Bad After All?"

[ozbob]

Tom Tom Congestion Index http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/congestionindex/

TomTom Australia and New Zealand Congestion Index Annual report 2012
--> http://www.tomtom.com/lib/doc/congestionindex/2013-0322-TomTom-CongestionIndex-2012-Annual-AUNZ-mi.pdf

The BT article is from this ^ ...  lol

Meanwhile

Twitter

Penny Cameron ‏@Pennycopter 25m

Motorists on the M1 at Slacks Creek contemplating running to work instead #bnetraffic http://t.co/x7XiAoF3yA

[ozbob]

Twitter

Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 2m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Ipswich Mwy EB from Darra to Oxley . . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 3m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Centenary Hwy IB from Mt Ommaney to Jindalee . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 3m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Wynnum Rd/Lytton Rd IB from Morningside to Kangaroo Point . . . .

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lol

[ozbob]

http://demandbetterroads.com.au/

A national roads campaign ...

Inner City Rail makes the list  for Queensland, Metro rail tunnel for Victoria and Light rail for Perth.

QUEENSLAND
Project Location/ Name
   
Project Description Estimated Cost

1.    Bruce Highway Upgrade of the Bruce Highway over all six sections of the highway. $11 billion

2.    Warrego Highway
Construct second Toowoomba Range Crossing to address capacityand safety. $1.6 billion

3.    Gateway Motorway
North Upgrade to 6 lanes from Nudgee to Bruce Highway. $1.3 billion

4.    Pacific Motorway
Upgrade to 6 lanes from Nerang to Tugun. $3.8 billion

5.    Brisbane Inner Rail Solution
   New rail tunnel to provide a second river crossing and add capacity in inner Brisbane. $5.3 billion

[ozbob]

Another day in bus paradise .. lol

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Twitter

Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 1m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Gympie Rd IB from Linkfield Rd to Beams Rd - Carseldiine . . . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 1m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Gateway Mwy SB (busy) from Bald Hills to Boondall . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 2m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Bruce Hwy SB from Anzac Ave - Mango Hill . . . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 2m
C O N G E S T I O N .. M1 NB from Tanah merah to Eight Mile Plains . . . . .

[ozbob]

Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 1m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Ipswich Mwy EB from Wacol to Oxley . . . . . .

Bradley H Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 1m
C O N G E S T I O N .. Centenary Hwy IB from Darra to Jindalee . . . .

=========

Go the 460!   

[ozbob]

Twitter

Penny Cameron ‏@Pennycopter 2m

Bruce Hwy at Anzac Ave #bnetraffic Zzzzzzzzz http://t.co/aouNRCfwcP



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[ozbob]

Twitter

Bradley H ‏@BradTrafficGuy 1m

C O N G E S T I O N .. Wynnum Rd/Lytton Rd IB from Morningside to the Story Bridge . . . .

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

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

New funding needed as Bruce bidding starts

The Newman Government has welcomed the opening bids in the decade-long effort to improve safety, capacity and flood mitigation on the Bruce Highway.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson will today review commitments from Federal Labor to identify any new funding required to kickstart important projects.

"New funding, not recycled announcements, ahead of this year's Federal election will be the key to delivering for one of Queensland's most notorious national roads," Mr Emerson said.

"New funding would allow work to progress on some of the 25 additional projects highlighted in our Bruce Highway Action Plan, delivered in October last year.

"New funding for this 10-year blueprint is crucial to delivering the capacity, safety and flood mitigation projects to bring this 1700 km lifeline up to a respectable standard.

"The Newman Government has promised $1 billion in additional funding over the next 10 years, and now we need both Federal Labor and the Federal Coalition to step up and meet their usual 80-20 commitment.

"I'll be calling on the Federal Government to meet their traditional split for new funding, providing a total of $5 billion in additional funding for the Bruce Highway over the next decade.

"While I welcome the opening bid from the Prime Minister, it is only a start if we are to prevent hundreds of deaths on the Bruce Highway over the next decade."

Mr Emerson also called on the Federal Coalition to commit to the Bruce Highway.

"This is one of the most crucial pieces of transport infrastructure in Queensland, stretching from Cairns to Brisbane," he said.

"The Bruce Highway accounts for 17 per cent of fatalities, yet only 7.5 per cent of the National Highway.

New and existing projects are listed on page 9 of the Bruce Highway Action Plan. The plan is available at
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/About%20us/Corporate%20information/Publications/BruceHighwayActionPlan.pdf

[ENDS] 24 April 2013

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast Daily --> $400m to help put Coast section of Bruce Hwy on right track

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Bruce Highway gets $4 billion funding boost

[ozbob]

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Jeff Seeney

Federal funding failure for Bruce Highway

Queenslanders should not be fooled by the Gillard Government's announcement of funding for the Bruce Highway, Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said today.

Mr Seeney said there was no additional funding over and above the Federal Government's normal expected spending on the Bruce Highway.

"Today's announcement by Julia Gillard and Anthony Albanese is little more than a scam," Mr Seeney said.

"They want Queenslanders to believe that they are spending up big on the Bruce Highway when in reality all they are doing is announcing spending that is the base funding they would spend over the next decade.

"They have failed totally to commit new funding as demanded by our Bruce Highway Action Plan.

"This is an election year stunt.

"If Julia Gillard and Labor were fair dinkum they would provide this base funding and then commit to our Action Plan which calls for an additional $4 billion from the Federal Government over the next decade with an additional billion dollars from Queensland.

"We are prepared to spend a billion dollars on top of what we would normally spend to upgrade and maintain the highway over the next ten years.

"Queenslanders deserve the Federal Government to do the same on what is, after all, a part of the national highway system and a federal responsibility.

"What we are seeing today is a shabby trick on Queenslanders who have to put up with an inferior and dangerous road which is less than 10 per cent of the national highway system, but accounts for 17 per cent of fatalities," Mr Seeney said.

[ENDS] 24 April 2013

[SurfRail]

No, what we are seeing is the State government outsourcing its responsibilities (again).

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Coalition's new Bruce money welcomed

The Newman Government has welcomed reports the Federal Coalition will provide new funding for new projects to bring the Bruce Highway up to a satisfactory standard.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said more than $10 billion was required over the next 10 years to deliver major safety, flood mitigation and capacity upgrades for the 1700km lifeline.

"The Newman Government has already recognised that more needs to be done to properly fund this national road," Mr Emerson said.

"We have committed an extra $1 billion to the Bruce Highway provided the Federal Government also brings forward additional funding and meet their traditional 80-20 split.

"I am pleased to read reports today the Shadow Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss supports this funding agreement and will be going above and beyond the base funding for the Bruce Highway.

"We look forward to seeing the final funding detail from the Coalition in the coming months."

In October last year, the Newman Government delivered the Bruce Highway Action Plan – a 10-year blueprint of existing Bruce Highway projects along with new safety, capacity and flood mitigation projects.

Mr Emerson said he will continue to lobby the Coalition and Labor to secure the best deal for Queensland when it comes to the Bruce Highway.

"We need a national effort to save lives and reduce crashes between Brisbane and Cairns," he said.

"Throughout the Federal election campaign both the Coalition and Labor need to properly fund this national road and commit new money to new projects.

"Otherwise, as the RACQ predicts, we will see up to 400 people die on this national road over the next decade."

[ENDS] 25 April 2013

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Liberals make Bruce Highway funding U-turn

Hmm,  our Transport Minister is starting to look a bit blunder prone ...

[mufreight]

Couriermail --> Liberals make Bruce Highway funding U-turn

Hmm,  our Transport Minister is starting to look a bit blunder prone ...

A bit blunder prone, I would think that you are being most charitable Oxbob, hopelessly incompetent would perhaps be a better description

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Troubled toll road up for sale

[Stillwater]

Perhaps we should capitalise on the confusion.  If we take the wider perspective that Mr Truss' pledge of $8 billion was for the 'Bruce Highway CORRIDOR', that would include both road and rail funding from the Commonwealth of $8 billion.  This would be made up of the $4 billion for the highway itself and a further $4 billion for rail -- the equivalent of rail duplication to Nambour and track straightening and new bridges to Maryborough West, in the heart of Mr Truss' electorate of Wide Bay.

[mufreight]

Perhaps we should capitalise on the confusion.  If we take the wider perspective that Mr Truss' pledge of $8 billion was for the 'Bruce Highway CORRIDOR', that would include both road and rail funding from the Commonwealth of $8 billion.  This would be made up of the $4 billion for the highway itself and a further $4 billion for rail -- the equivalent of rail duplication to Nambour and track straightening and new bridges to Maryborough West, in the heart of Mr Truss' electorate of Wide Bay.

We would hope.

[ozbob]

Bigger roads just means more traffic. 

[ozbob]

Twitter

131940_Metro ‏@131940_Metro 38s

Centenary Highway, Richlands - Congestion: Inbound - Medium delays expected. Proceed with caution. http://131940.com/i=409057

===========

Springfield railway cannot come quick enough ... the congestion is magnifying each day and getting further south daily ...

[Jonno]

Yet all the politicians representing this area are patting themselves on the back for doing a stella job whilst housing affordability is at all time lows, taxes and rates unable to cover maintenance costs and community establishment consisting of talking in the car park of the shopping centre!   Hmmmmm

[ozbob]

Twitter

Alan Davies ‏@MelbUrbanist 2m

Why are Australians driving less than they used to? http://wp.me/pPJet-3Ef

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Weekend driving as stressful as work commute, with some local streets busiest on Saturday morning

Weekend driving as stressful as work commute, with some local streets busiest on Saturday morning

    by: Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    May 04, 2013 12:00AM

HITTING the road on the weekend has become every bit as stressful as the weekday commute with traffic counts showing some local streets are at their worst on a Saturday morning.

Boundary Rd at West End, Grey St in South Brisbane and the Bruce Highway at Burpengary all carry more traffic at certain weekend times than on the busiest weekdays.

Transport and Main Roads statistics show 11am on a Saturday is the worst time of the week to be on the Bruce Highway, with about 7700 vehicles, compared with 6600 at 8.15am on a weekday.

More than 1000 extra vehicles use Boundary Rd on a Saturday, and almost 2000 more clog Grey St than during the working week, according to Brisbane City Council traffic counts.

The main difference is the time of the peak. Saturday traffic is generally at its worst between 11am and 1pm compared with early morning and mid-afternoon on weekdays.

Robert Dow of commuter advocacy group Back on Track said Brisbane's traffic congestion was now seven days a week and getting worse all the time.

"We believe the fare review has to be expedited to give people more incentive to catch public transport, particularly on weekends," he said.

Griffith University Urban Planning expert Dr Matthew Burke said providing information to people so they were aware of congestion hotspots was one way to address the problem.

"It's too expensive to upgrade infrastructure that only gets congested once or twice a week, so that's not much of an option," he said.

"We can use better sequencing of traffic lights to adapt to these flows, and we can run better public transport on weekends than we do at present."

He said providing incentives to motorists to behave in ways that did not bring the city to a standstill was another option.

"The best example is the traffic management regime we use around our sports stadiums. Free public transport is offered for all pre-purchased tickets, there are alerts to motorists on the arterials and there's a ban on parking around the ground itself," Dr Burke said.

"Incentives can work to help free up daily congestion too. Other cities provide a discount if you travel on public transport to the city and arrive before 7.30am to free up space in the later peak."

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane was still relatively easy to get around on weekends.

"It's certainly much quicker to get from one side of town to the other on weekends than during the week," he said.

"But there can be heavy traffic in some pockets of the city as people visit shopping centres and various attractions and events."

[SurfRail]

Ann St in the Valley and Smith St in Southport tend to always be more congested on weekends than during weekdays, I am sure there are others.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Doubts about traffic forecasts are already undermining Brisbane's latest tunnel project for investors

QUEENSLAND is staring at another great tunnel project failure in terms of how much it cost to build and how much it will be sold for.

Potential buyers of the tolling rights to the 4.6km Legacy Way connecting Brisbane's Western Freeway with the Inner City Bypass, due to open in 2015, are already doubting official forecasts.

With good reason ...  more --> here!

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Wayne Swan promises $718 million Budget boost for Gateway Motorway upgrade

TREASURER Wayne Swan will promise a $718 million injection to remove one of Brisbane's worst traffic bottlenecks in tomorrow's Budget as Labor tries to prevent an electoral wipe-out in Queensland.

Infrastructure building will be a central part of the election battleground, with Labor also likely to pledge money for the Cross River Rail project and attack Tony Abbott's lack of commitment to urban rail ...

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Wayne Swan promises $718 million Budget boost for Gateway Motorway upgrade

TREASURER Wayne Swan will promise a $718 million injection to remove one of Brisbane's worst traffic bottlenecks in tomorrow's Budget as Labor tries to prevent an electoral wipe-out in Queensland.

Infrastructure building will be a central part of the election battleground, with Labor also likely to pledge money for the Cross River Rail project and attack Tony Abbott's lack of commitment to urban rail ...

Brisbanetimes --> State refuses to match Gateway Motorway offer

[somebody]

Bigger roads just means more traffic.

I'm sure this has been mentioned before, but where exactly is that picture taken?

[ozbob]

I think it is a LA Freeway ..

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Budget rallies around roads and Cross River Rail

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Class action under way against engineering group's traffic forecasts for Brisbane's Airport Link toll road

[ozbob]

JOINT STATEMENT
Premier
The Honourable Campbell Newman
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Queensland accepts Abbott's Gateway deal

The Newman Government will accept a deal to deliver an upgraded 12.3 kilometre section of the Gateway Motorway if the Federal Opposition is elected in September.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott today received a birds-eye view of south east Queensland's Federal roads with Premier Campbell Newman and Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson at Brisbane's Metropolitan Traffic Management Centre.

"A Coalition Government will kick-start funding of the Gateway Motorway upgrade with a $1 billion commitment," Mr Abbott said.

"Inadequate road infrastructure and traffic congestion are having a negative impact on the productivity of Brisbane and south east Queensland.

"Parents are away from their families for longer and businesses and consumers are paying more in transportation costs.

"The upgrade of the Gateway Motorway will reduce congestion and improve road safety on the Motorway.

"It will also expand capacity of the Motorway to cater for the strong population growth that has been occurring in South East Queensland."

Mr Newman said the return to an 80-20 funding split for the Federal road network would ensure work could start on the $1.3 billion section next year.

"This is a priority project for south east Queensland because of issues we face with congestion and safety on the northern section of the Gateway," Mr Newman said.

"Motoring bodies regularly rate this as one of the worst sections of road in Queensland and the cause of major delays and a burden on the economy."

Mr Emerson said the proposal would widen the motorway from four to six lanes from Nudgee to the Deagon Deviation.

"We've been battling to get a fair deal for Queensland's Federal roads," Mr Emerson said.

"This funding means there won't be a need to delay construction and we can rule out the option of tolling in order to fund the state's share of the road."

[ENDS] 22 May 2013

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> T2 lanes at Anzac Ave through Kippa-Ring and Rothwell face the scrap heap

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Seniors and road groups concerned as speed limits on Queensland roads set for overhaul