Roads - articles and discussion

[ozbob]

612 ABC Brisbane Breakfast with Spencer Howson

Speed limit review - and BCC bus review handed to Translink

04 June 2013 , 8:05 AM by Spencer Howson

What do you think of the speed limits on Queensland roads? The State Government is follow NSW's lead and asking you for feedback on the speed limits of 100 roads. Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson explains.

Then, Brisbane City Council handed its bus review to Translink at the end of last week but wanted more than the 4% budget increase promised by the state. Minister Emerson explains why he said no and Lord Mayor Graham Quirk reveals what that means for next week's Brisbane City Council budget:

Click --> here!

[ozbob]

http://www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/publications/corporate/fact_sheets.jsp

Speeding --> http://www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/publications/corporate/speeding_fs.pdf

... Australia has some of the highest speed
limits in the world.6 The Australian
Transport Council asserts that the
incidence of serious casualty crashes
could be significantly reduced by
decreasing vehicle speeds. The data
indicate that if vehicle speeds decreased
by 5km/h on arterial roads with a speed
limit of 60km/h, there would be an
11.9% reduction in all serious crashes.
Reducing vehicle speeds by a further
5km/h (i.e. by 10km/hr) would result in a
17.3% reduction in all serious crashes.7
• Past improvements to enforcement and
reductions in average speeds (even by 1
or 2%) have resulted in substantial
reductions in deaths and injuries in
many jurisdictions.1,8,9,10 ....

[Golliwog]

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

Stop d#cking about making these decisions for political reasons! If the numbers stack up and say you'll get more people through by making these T2 lanes into general traffic lanes, then fine so be it and pull them out. But only if that's the case should they be pulled.

[HappyTrainGuy]

I'd like to see those T2 lanes operate similar to Waterworks Road. T2 during peak hour. General traffic outside peak hour.

[somebody]

I'd like to see those T2 lanes operate similar to Waterworks Road. T2 during peak hour. General traffic outside peak hour.

Only reason to do that is allowing deliveries or whatever during the day.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Not entirely. Anzac ave is 3 lanes in each direction (1x 24hr7days T2 and 2x general traffic). Off peak the 3 lanes would flow easily and when it gets to peak hour the T2 lane doubles up as a bus lane which will be helpful for existing buses going to and from schools, Redcliffe from North Lakes, Deception Bay, Narangba etc along with the feeder buses when the MBRL opens up. Parents taking their kids to school can also use the lanes aswell. You also have trucks making deliveries and pick ups so its quite a lot of traffic that has to be considered.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Peak travel times on Brisbane roads fall after rollout of toll projects

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Congestion problem set to surface as toll-road users return to using free routes

[ozbob]

Congestion costing Queenslanders

http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/queensland/watch/17546910/congestion-costing-queenslanders/

[ozbob]

South east attempts to tackle congestion

--> http://au.news.yahoo.com/video/national/watch/17560879/south-east-attempts-to-tackle-congestion/


==========

Not rocket science elsewhere, but sure is in Queensland .. 

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane's infrastructure has boomed with the CLEM7, Airport Link and Gateway Bridge expansion but are the golden days over?

[ozbob]

The Conversation --> New freeways cure congestion: time to put the myth to bed

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> RACQ backs Bellbowrie-Riverhills road bridge

[#Metro]

We should strongly support this bridge as it would allow a bus from Moggill/Bellbowrie to travel directly into Darra station to dump passengers into the Ipswich line and also allow the extension of Centenary BUZ services to terminate in Moggill. Green Bridge or Tolls should also be considered as side options.

[ozbob]

We should strongly support this bridge as it would allow a bus from Moggill/Bellbowrie to travel directly into Darra station to dump passengers into the Ipswich line and also allow the extension of Centenary BUZ services to terminate in Moggill. Green Bridge or Tolls should also be considered as side options.

I recall pushing this in 2007 or thereabouts ...  yes, a green bridge would be neat ...

http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=975.msg4246#msg4246

[#Metro]

Moggill and Riverhills

[ozbob]

Twitter

Penny Dahl (Cameron) ‏@Pennycopter 11s

Plenty of push and shove on the Ipswich Mwy inbound at the Centenary Hwy merge through Darra #bnetraffic http://t.co/zFuOOEhI01

[ozbob]

We should strongly support this bridge as it would allow a bus from Moggill/Bellbowrie to travel directly into Darra station to dump passengers into the Ipswich line and also allow the extension of Centenary BUZ services to terminate in Moggill. Green Bridge or Tolls should also be considered as side options.

Media release 19th June 2013



SEQ: RAIL Back on Track backs Bellbowrie-Riverhills bridge

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers has supported the idea of a bridge from Bellbowrie to Riverhills (1,2).

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The idea of a bridge linking Moggill and Bellbowrie featured in the media today. This is not new (2)."

A bridge would have major benefits to the Moggill and Bellbowrie areas:

* Increased cycling, walking
* Bus connections to the Brisbane CBD, Ipswich CBD and Springfield CBD via change at Darra rail station.
* Potential bus access to Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre
* Car access to Mt Ommaney Shopping Centre and Centenary Highway
* Potential future access to rapid transit down the Centenary Highway (rail or busway)
* Potential electricity supply upgrades to the area through access to Darra substation

"All options will need to be looked at. This is a bridge that could greatly increase mobility in this area."

"We suggest that a feasibility study be carried out looking at potential bridge designs and considering all the options - green bridge only, general road bridge, tolls or no tolls. This would be similar to the process that Brisbane went through to have the Eleanor Schonell Bridge built connecting Dutton Park to UQ Lakes."

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

1. RACQ backs Bellbowrie-Riverhills road bridge http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/racq-backs-bellbowrieriverhills-road-bridge-20130618-2ogvs.html

2. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=975.msg4246#msg4246

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Premier eyes private sector to fast-track road, school and health projects

[Jonno]

Brisbanetimes --> Premier eyes private sector to fast-track road, school and health projects

Because his back of PPP's have been such brillant investments for the investors and SEQ...NOT!!!!!!

[ozbob]

Twitter

Penny Dahl (Cameron) ‏@Pennycopter 7m

Commuter crush on the M1 northbound from Loganholme to 8 Mile Plains #bnetraffic @GettrafficQLD http://t.co/wdcPOfAE22

[SurfRail]

^ PPPs only work where the infrastructure can return a positive dividend, to the point where the operator is prepared to put some skin in the game.  It works for instance for GCRT because around 20-25% of the funding is private capital borrowed by GoldlinQ.  They wouldn't be able to secure funding like that in the current environment if it wasn't a sure or near-sure thing.

The tunnels in Brisbane involved monkeys-with-typewriters type modelling and everybody with any common sense knew that from day 1, hence none of us here were surprised when they imploded.

[#Metro]

The tunnels in Brisbane involved monkeys-with-typewriters type modelling and everybody with any common sense knew that from day 1, hence none of us here were surprised when they imploded.

Companies going broke is the market working to remove people who make bad decisions. Even we calculated using basic math that it was mathematically dubious from the outset. Just as dubious as "2000 express daily buses down legacy way". I often wonder if the proponents deliberately make false statements or they really believe their own hype.

[SurfRail]

Companies going broke is the market working to remove people who make bad decisions.

Sadly tends not to work that way though.  The grand poobahs can always land on their feet in some other management job.

Still - I have little sympathy for any of the investors.  They were dills for going along with it.

[#Metro]

People who also invest in dud projects like this also lose their money.

[johnnigh]

It's all very well to dismiss the losses by investors as 'serves them right', an attitude I quite enjoy, along with so many other examples of schadenfreud.
But, as the so-recently late lamented Paul Mees pointed out in the Melbourne freeway plan fiasco, the funds invested, by whomsoever: your super fund or mine, aren't available for the projects that deserve the funds, example CRR in Brisbane. So we end up worse off even if the financial loss isn't our personal problem, or even our super fund's.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Motorists driving too far to cross Brisbane River: experts

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

21 June 2013

Brisbane River great for Public Transport

Greetings,

The barrier effect of the Brisbane river is great for public transport users.

In the media today is the discussion that Brisbane should have more bridges for cars. What has been overlooked is the advantage that the Brisbane river provides in metering traffic, increasing public transport use and restricting excessive traffic growth.

Public transport is the most effective way of moving large volumes of people in a space constrained large city. Toll roads don't even come close:

Comparison
-------------------------
South East Busway - 150 000 trips / weekday; Toll - $4.77 (peak), $3.82 (off peak)

AirportLink (in financial administration)  - 80 000 trips / day; Toll - $3.75
Clem 7 (in financial administration) 25 000 / day; Toll - $4.05
Legacy Way (forecast) 24 000 / day; Toll - to be announced
-------------------------

A dual rail line with 3 minute services can carry 30,000 and more passengers per hour!

The South East Busway, a 2-lane road just for buses, carries more passengers than Clem 7, AirportLink and forecasts for Legacy way combined. Legacy Way is to only carry 16% of what the South East Busway carries in a day.

An inconvenient truth for politicians is that tolls very effectively reduce congestion. The dramatic drops in traffic through the Clem 7 and AirportLink when the toll free period ended proves without doubt that road pricing works extraordinarily well and will work in Brisbane. Brisbane City Council reintroducing tolls to the The Walter Taylor Bridge at Indooroopilly could be used to demonstrate this effect.

It costs far less to set up decongestion pricing than it is to spend many years designing, building, constructing and lobbying for funding for more river crossings. There may be some outer suburban areas where new bridges are required, such as between Bellbowrie and Riverhills.

The presence of the Brisbane River naturally restricts traffic growth, meters traffic and gives a huge advantage to public transport over cars. Unfortunately this natural advantage to public transport has not been realised due to the unwillingness of Brisbane City Council and Brisbane Transport to reorganise the public transport bus network around connections, particularly to rail,  and to reverse the decision to remove the bus lane from Coronation Drive.

Transport is about moving people, not just cars. In a large city space is a scarce currency and is most effectively used when allocated to public transport over cars.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

References:

Chokepoints as traffic meters and transit opportunities http://www.humantransit.org/2010/01/chokepoints-as-traffic-meters-and-transit-opportunities.html

Chokepoints for effective transit: the example of seattle http://www.humantransit.org/2010/01/a-carbonneutral-seattle.html

Motorists driving too far to cross Brisbane River: experts http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/motorists-driving-too-far-to-cross-brisbane-river-experts-20130620-2oll9.html

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Motorists face new toll hikes with Clem 7 tunnel increase

[ozbob]

Penny Dahl (Cameron) ‏@Pennycopter 44m

Traffic barely shuffling past a 2 car prang on the Riverside Exp inbound under the Victoria Bridge in the City http://t.co/jzfJnsP5Tp

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> UBS Infrastructure Fund joins hunt for Clem7 tolling rights

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Only 3000 extra vehicles used Clem 7 tunnel despite Story Bridge peak hour crash gridlock

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> T2 lanes removed from Pacific Motorway

LOL  anyone who follows the traffic reports knows that the delays congestion have actually worsened ...

[achiruel]

I'm wondering exactly what they expected to happen by expanding a 3 lane motorway to 4 lanes and then quickly back to two.

Was this decision actually made by traffic engineers at DTMR or just some idiot(s) from the LNP Parliamentary team?

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2013/7/2/additional-lanes-open-on-pacific-motorway

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Scott Emerson

Additional lanes open on Pacific Motorway

Works to increase capacity by two additional lanes on the Pacific Motorway have been completed under budget and ahead of schedule.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the T2 lanes between Klumpp Road and the Gateway Motorway merge were removed and capacity increased for just $2.5 million.

"In less than 13 weeks we have been able to open this section of the Pacific Motorway to eight lanes - earlier than the original completion date of October 2013," Mr Emerson said.

"The cost to deliver this simple solution came in at half of what we were expecting to spend, which means those savings can be re-directed into bridge protection works on this section of the Pacific Motorway.

"We have worked hard to deliver this project as quickly as possible with the T2 signage removed and transit lane restrictions lifted before commuters returned to work after the Easter break in April.

"From April we got on with the task of re-line marking the road to add two lanes in each direction and safety barriers were also installed.

"Unlike the previous government we have demonstrated that we can deliver infrastructure in a smarter, more cost-effective way."

Member for Mansfield Ian Walker welcomed the additional capacity for motorists.

"Early indications have shown improvements in capacity since the new lanes have opened," Mr Walker said.

"As the department continue to monitor the traffic I look forward to seeing how the travel times have improved over the coming months."

Member for Sunnybank Mark Stewart said this solution was a much better use of the road space.

"It made much more sense to use existing infrastructure instead of building something from scratch," Mr Stewart said.

"This has meant a quick solution for motorists with positive results."

Member for Stretton Freya Ostapovitch said T2 lanes were installed on the Pacific Motorway by the former government to encourage carpooling more than a decade ago.

"Unfortunately carpooling just didn't work and left motorists frustrated as they would sit in a congested lane while the T2 lane was left under capacity," Ms Ostapovitch said.

[ENDS] 1 July 2013   

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

                     

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Brisbane City Council prepares Indooroopilly's Walter Taylor Bridge for public viewing by improving safety 

[petey3801]

$2.5 million.?!?!? Why in God's name does it cost $2.5 million(!!!!!!) to remove signs and concrete dividers?!? That is an insane amount of money to spend for NO BENEFIT!

[Gazza]

2.5 mil to go from  3 to 4 lanes is a pretty cheap upgrade in the scheme of things, but not sure how it cost 2.5 mil......they have replaced some median barriers though which might be it.

[aldonius]

I retain my stance that removing the transit lanes was an OK decision, but only because of the parallel busway.

[achiruel]

The Department of Transport and Main Roads was warned 12 months ago that congestion on the Pacific Motorway at Eight Mile Plains would worsen if the T2 lanes were removed.The RACQ is now questioning why the motorway was widened from three lanes each way to four between Mt Gravatt and Eight Mile Plains when traffic is then squeezed into two lanes."We advised them to keep the three lanes heading southbound on the Pacific Motorway," Michael Roth, the RACQ's executive director of public policy said."They said 'no', and we said 'that will come back to
bite you and we won't defend you when it does'.

...

The RACQ supported our plans to remove T2 lanes and add extra lanes on the Pacific Motorway," a spokesman said."We are aware of congestion at the Gateway Motorway and Pacific Motorway merge and continue to investigate cost-effective solutions to improve traffic flow."...Unfortunately we are limited in what we can do due to the financial debt left to us by the former Labor government."


http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/removing-t2-lanes-would-worsen-congestion-government-told-20130702-2p9x2.html

So let me get this straight: even a pro car organisation such as the RACQ knew expanding to 4 lanes would worsen congestion, the Government went ahead with it anyway.

The DTMR then denies RACQ has said this. And to top it off they are still blaming Labor for the LNP's inability to do, well, basically anything about anything.

To top it off, this clearly partisan political statement appears to have come from a public servant,  a spokesman of DTMR, rather than the minister's office. Clearly directed by the minister though. Has the LNP forgotten about the separation of powers? Departmental spokesmen should not be commenting on the lack or otherwise of the financial management of the previous Government. That is a politician's job.