Roads - articles and discussion

[WTN]

Some more sarcasm:

Let's scrap the footpaths and bike lanes - nobody walks or rides a bike these days, everyone drives, so let's maximise that space for cars.

Let's replace green parks with skyscraper sized car parks - nobody walks outside these days and everyone likes to park at the front door of their destination.

Let's not build just add an extra 2 lanes here or another new 4 lane road there, let's go build some supermassive 20 lane motorways that REALLY tackle congestion. Ram 'em through the CBD on top of existing streets - multidecker style, complete with flyover interchanges at every corner. Let's multideck our arterial roads to 14+ lanes so everyone can drive in comfort.

Let's save some money by removing all public transport funding so the system can be shut down, and spare funds used to convert bus and railway corridors into more motorways. That'll also stop car drivers complaining about buses and trains holding up their precious journey.

Let's make cycling and walking on public roads illegal - they're too dangerous but cars are safe.

Let's see the chaos ensue when the car is the ONLY mode of transport, even when going 50m down the street.

[Golliwog]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/new-bridge-to-link-redlands-to-gold-coast-20111103-1mwf8.html

New bridge to link Redlands to Gold Coast
Tony Moore
November 3, 2011


The Department of Main Roads has identified a site for a new bridge across the Logan River, linking Logan, Redlands and the Gold Coast areas by road.

But the department said it was not planning on building an alternative to the Pacific Motorway.

The new bridge and road connection from Redland to the Gold Coast is identified in Queensland Transport's Connecting SEQ 2031 report issued last month.
Advertisement: Story continues below

The plan states: "A local road connection from Redland Bay Road across the Logan River would improve connections to employment and other attractions in Logan and the Gold Coast."

"It would reduce reliance on the single Pacific Motorway crossing point of the Logan River at Loganholme."

However, the "low traffic" road would not form any part of "a longer corridor between Brisbane and the Gold Coast."

"The proposed new link would be a low-traffic road linking Redland and the Gold Coast, not Brisbane," a Main Roads spokesman said.

"The lower number of lanes in comparison to the Pacific Motorway would also make it a less attractive option for motorists travelling between Brisbane and the Gold Coast."

Redland City Council said it had no details of the plan, or the location, or the scale of the bridge or connections, but had proposed its own road links north and south.

Redlands planners said they urgently wanted to talk to Main Roads staff about the project.

A Department of Main Roads spokesman said no details had been finalised.

"More detailed alignments, including the exact location of the river crossing, will be determined through future planning," he said.

He said the department had no plans for an alternative "highway" to the Gold Coast for the next 20 years.

"Analysis indicates an alternative highway connection between Brisbane and the Gold Coast is not needed by 2031," a Main Roads spokesman said last night.

"Trip demand will continue to be adequately catered for on the Pacific Motorway and the Gold Coast rail line."

This is despite concerns from local councils between Brisbane and the Gold Coast - at Redlands and Logan - that upgrades to the Pacific Motorway are lagging behind traffic congestion.

At Springwood in Brisbane's south, there is almost 150,000 vehicles a day in peak hour and local political figures are now questioning the pace of work on the strategic motorway link.

Logan's Mayor Pam Parker and Labor MP Barbara Stone told their local paper yesterday that congestion was swamping the impact of traffic upgrades around Springwood.

Ms Stone, the Member for Springwood, said 'it's great that that's actually going to be done, but it's not going to be a congestion stopper."

Logan's new super suburbs, Yarrabilba and Flagstone will boost the population of the Logan region by 150,000 in 20 years.

Logan's Mayor Pam Parker continually questions the slow pace of the widening projects.

Last year, she highlighted how Pacific Motorway traffic had slowed over the past 14 years.

"From 1993 to 2007, outbound speeds [from Brisbane] along the Pacific Motorway slowed from about 75 km/hour to 33 km/hour. Inbound speeds also slowed by about 15km/hour over this period," Cr Parker said.

Main Roads said it was concentrating on widening the Pacific Motorway from Nerang to Elanora from four lanes to six lanes, linking the Gateway Motorway to the Logan Motorway, and widening the Loganlea Road intersection.

The longer term plan is to extend the Brisbane to Gold Coast rail line to the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta.

The rail line was extended to Varsity Lakes in 2009.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/new-bridge-to-link-redlands-to-gold-coast-20111103-1mwf8.html#ixzz1ch45zl2U

This is IMO a good move. One of the problems with the M1 that have been outlined to us at uni is that for a number of the communities along it, it is the key connector, so is used like I would use Samford Rd at Keperra to get to the shops. While they should be moving away from cars commuting to Brisbane, there needs to be a move to get local traffic movements off the motorways.

[Golliwog]

http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/S/Stafford-Road-and-South-Pine-Road-Intersection-Planning-Study.aspx#project-info

Stafford Road and South Pine Road Intersection Planning Study

Overview:

The Department of Transport and Main Roads is undertaking a planning study for the upgrade of the Stafford Road and South Pine Road intersection and has developed a concept plan designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion at the intersection.

The project is still in the business case phase of the planning study and funding for design and construction has not yet been allocated.

.........

Benefits:
    The project aims to improve traffic flow, relieve congestion at the intersection and create better connected cycle networks in the local area.
Funding:
    Funding for the project design and construction has not yet been granted by the State.

Concept design: http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/f2f3a783-efba-4d4b-81f8-26ecd52377f2/20111107staffordsthpineconceptmappage45combined.pdf

Contact details
Email:    stafford.southpine@tmr.qld.gov.au
Phone:    1800 089 750
Post:    Stafford Road and South Pine Road Intersection Planning Study
Department of Transport and Main Roads
PO Box 70
Spring Hill QLD 4001


Staffed Displays

Brookside Shopping Centre (159 Osborne Road, Mitchelton)
Thursday 17 November, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday 19 November, 10:00am - 1:00pm

Everton Park Central (791 Stafford Road, Everton Park)
Saturday 12 November, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Tuesday 29 November, 10:00am - 2:00pm
Wednesday 30 November, 2:00pm - 6:00pm

Centro Albany (700 Albany Creek Road, Albany Creek)
Tuesday 22 November, 10:00am - 2:00pm
Saturday 26 November, 10:00am - 1:00pm

[ozbob]

Mains Kessels intersection upgrade Project

-- http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/M/Mains-Road-and-Kessels-Road-intersection-upgrade.aspx

This project will provide a short underpass beneath Mains Road for Kessels Road traffic with improved turn and intersection lanes and new provisions for buses, pedestrians and cyclists.

This intersection is one of Queensland's busiest with an average of over 90,000 vehicle movements per day. Separating Kessels Road traffic from Mains Road traffic will improve safety and travel times and provide a more efficient and reliable intersection with capacity to accommodate future traffic growth.

==========

Twitter

AlboMP Anthony Albanese
Now in sunny Brisbane for sod turning on Mains and Kessels Road in MacGregor -$300m project creating over 800 jobs #nationbuilding
1 hour ago

[ozbob]

Twitter

AlboMP Anthony Albanese
With @grahamperrettmp at sodturn at Mains and Kessells Road #nationbuilding http://yfrog.com/h71trmiqj
56 minutes ago

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

Robert_Dow Robert Dow
@
@AlboMP @grahamperrettmp more of the same ... what is needed is --> http://t.co/LE98JM1J
20 minutes ago

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

Robert_Dow Robert Dow
The ' killing fields of Australia ', the road network ... --> http://t.co/UGJEUQvX
4 minutes ago

[#Metro]

Least they could do is put a median busway or full length bus lanes on Mains Road. At the moment buses get stuck in congestion there.

[O_128]

Least they could do is put a median busway or full length bus lanes on Mains Road. At the moment buses get stuck in congestion there.

I'm sure Ive explained this numerous times. The only way to alleviate congestion for cars or buses is to spend billions of dollars on infrastructure.

[SurfRail]

The main reason for the Mains Road grade sep is because Kessels Rd is a de-facto freeway, caused by imposing heavy vehicle tolls on the Logan and Gateway.  I bet you would see a lot of that traffic off suburban arterials if you could get around it without being slugged.

[somebody]

The main reason for the Mains Road grade sep is because Kessels Rd is a de-facto freeway, caused by imposing heavy vehicle tolls on the Logan and Gateway.  I bet you would see a lot of that traffic off suburban arterials if you could get around it without being slugged.

Interesting.  That explains the recent changes to force heavy vehicles into the left lane or some such.  Surely it is money well spent in a heavy vehicle to pay the toll!

[dwb]

The main reason for the Mains Road grade sep is because Kessels Rd is a de-facto freeway, caused by imposing heavy vehicle tolls on the Logan and Gateway.  I bet you would see a lot of that traffic off suburban arterials if you could get around it without being slugged.

Rather than removing the tolling from the motorway standard, we should be removing the perverse subsidy to use the local route.

[Golliwog]

The main reason for the Mains Road grade sep is because Kessels Rd is a de-facto freeway, caused by imposing heavy vehicle tolls on the Logan and Gateway.  I bet you would see a lot of that traffic off suburban arterials if you could get around it without being slugged.

Interesting.  That explains the recent changes to force heavy vehicles into the left lane or some such.  Surely it is money well spent in a heavy vehicle to pay the toll!

I thought that was more a safety thing to avoid having semis trying to overtake each other/squish cars. But it does work as a deterrant too. And makes the road easier to maintain as the damage is limited to one lane.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Repairs to slow speed limits on Story Bridge

Repairs to slow speed limits on Story Bridge
Georgia Waters
November 16, 2011 - 8:28AM

Speed limit cuts and occasional lane closures will be introduced on the Story Bridge from next Monday as repairs are made on the 70-year-old structure.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk will announce today that speed limits will be reduced to 40kmh for up to 12 hours a day, mostly at night.

Some lanes of the bridge will also be temporarily closed, he said.

There is damage on the bridge's concrete approach spans at the Kangaroo Point end, he says.

The work will start on Monday.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/repairs-to-slow-speed-limits-on-story-bridge-20111116-1nhw3.html

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Car sharing solution for Kingsford Smith Drive gridlock

Car sharing solution for Kingsford Smith Drive gridlock
Tony Moore
November 19, 2011

A car sharing scheme has been proposed to lessen the impact of the Hamilton Northshore development on congested Kingsford Smith Drive, it has been revealed.

The developers behind the riverside residential project, the largest since South Bank, has plans to try the scheme to avoid dumping thousands of extra cars on the road.

Cars would be available to scheme members for the hour, or for the day.

ULDA urban development director Matt Leyshon said apartment prices in some Hamilton Northshore developments could be $50,000 cheaper without a garage space.

The 304-hectare Hamilton Northshore is one of four Brisbane projects being managed by the Urban Land Development Authority to fast-track housing stock for the city's property market.

It will house 15,000 people in mainly riverside apartment-style living over the next 15 to 20 years.

But the heavily-congested Kingsford Smith Drive, which runs along the Brisbane River, is a disadvantage for commuter residents and several stages of the road are now being widened.

Mr Leyshon said they wanted Hamilton Northshore to explore a car sharing scheme to reduce the traffic generated by the project.

"This type of program is more common in Europe, but has been implemented in Melbourne and Sydney, and Northshore Hamilton lends itself to programs like this working well," he said.

"Northshore Hamilton's close proximity to the city and public transport including the river network that the ULDA has helped to deliver, will appeal to residents who don't want the hassle and expense of owning a car."

He said the idea would be to expand the number of "car sharing" car park spaces as the development grew.

"Assuming this is viable, we would on the ULDA land, expand that number of carparking locations through the development." 

Mr Leyshon said the car sharing would be accessible through an iPhone app.

"Essentially you have an app on your iPhone, it shows you a map of where the car is," he said.

"I understand you could swipe your phone on the dash – there's a little reader – and off you go."

Mr Leyshon said the ULDA was strongly backing the car sharing scheme.

Sydney-based car sharing company Go Get marketing manager Richard Tourino said his company would be interested in bidding should the scheme go out to tender.

"We would definitely be interested in that," he said.

Go Get has 600 cars in Sydney and 57 cars operating in Melbourne. Car sharers pay $29 a month, plus $5.65 a person and 39 cents a kilometre. Petrol is paid for by the company.

CityCat ferry services started from Hamilton Northshore in October. Mr Leyshon said the ULDA had spoken with Translink about the introduction of feeder buses to take residents to Doomben train stations, which could start as soon as next year.

Mr Leyshon said connecting the rail line down into the Hamilton Northshore development was allowed in the  master plan, but still a long way from being considered.

Four of southeast Queensland's biggest residential property developers have apartment complexes under construction at the site including Devine Limited; Mirvac, Australand, Citimark and Brookfield.

There are about 300 residents living in the first apartments in the Portside Wharf area, which has been developed by Brookfield.

In early 2012, Brookfield will open 172 apartments in their new Promenade development over 15 storeys.

Australand will start work early in 2012 on 90 apartments and villas in a lower-styled development along 530 metres of the river's edge.

About 60 hectares of Port of Brisbane land was transferred to the ULDA in 2010.

In the longer-term, the ULDA is exploring the possibility of extending passenger services from the Doomben rail line into the site.

In 2008, when the concept plan was first announced, then-deputy premier Paul Lucas said he believed the major developers would contribute to improving public transport.

"The concept master plan has been made future proof by including options of extending the existing Doomben rail line and also a multi-modal public transport corridor off Kingsford Smith Drive through the heart of the precinct," he said in 2008.

"I'm keen to see the results of investigations that will be done into how much developers will be able to contribute to potential public transport options."

The Queensland government had no plans to expand the Doomben rail line until 2031.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/car-sharing-solution-for-kingsford-smith-drive-gridlock-20111118-1nmgr.html

[Jonno]

In 2008, when the concept plan was first announced, then-deputy premier Paul Lucas said he believed the major developers would contribute to improving public transport.

"The concept master plan has been made future proof by including options of extending the existing Doomben rail line and also a multi-modal public transport corridor off Kingsford Smith Drive through the heart of the precinct," he said in 2008.

"I'm keen to see the results of investigations that will be done into how much developers will be able to contribute to potential public transport options."

The Queensland government had no plans to expand the Doomben rail line until 2031.

That sums it up really!!!  How inept is the State Govt!!  LNP has no more intent than this either.

[SurfRail]

This is a project I would almost define as a "weekend fix".  Stringing up some wires, installing a temporary platform and a demountable, and the ancillary works like signalling.  Rails are already half there!

Time for a bit of Onehunga type compromise until they can get a proper upgrade in place...

[colinw]

The Gold Coast Bulletin -> Tugun Bypass already needs expanding

November 19th, 2011

IT'S been just three years since the long fought for Tugun Bypass opened but already a new report says it needs to be expanded to six lanes and an on-ramp built at Boyd Street by 2017.

According to the report this work needs to be undertaken if the region is to cope with the massive influx of new residents on the Tweed.

The study further found the Pacific Motorway north of Stewart Road at Currumbin should be expanded to six lanes by 2017 and eight lanes by 2027, while the Gold Coast Highway at Boyd Street, Tugun needs to be expanded to six lanes by 2022.

Boyd Street -- which will provide the only access point to the proposed new estate of Cobaki in its initial stages -- will need to be expanded to four lanes by 2027 to cope with all the new residents.

The dramatic findings are contained in the final Cross Border Traffic Master Plan, released this week, which provides a blueprint for traffic management on the border for the next 20 years.

The plan was prepared by traffic planning consultancy Bitzios Consulting for the Queensland and NSW roads departments and their counterparts at the Tweed and Gold Coast councils.

The study comes as the Tweed border region prepares for massive population growth, with more than 5500 homes due to be built at Cobaki by 2031, 4000 new homes at Bilambil Heights and 1600 dwellings at Terranora.

The report found rapid growth at Gold Coast Airport and increased commuting between the Gold Coast and northern NSW would also contribute to congestion.

Other key findings showed traffic flows overwhelmingly towards the north from the Pacific Highway interchanges at Tweed Heads, Coolangatta and Currumbin (Stewart Road), indicating a north-bound on-ramp at Boyd Street would be crucial.

Until now, the trigger point for the building of an interchange at Boyd Street - which was controversially scrapped from the original Tugun Bypass plans - was when Cobaki reached 3500 homes in size.

[ozbob]

L O L

58 lanes will never be enough either ....

[Mr X]

 More      :bi required

[colinw]

More    :bi required

Oi, you left out the    

[colinw]

L O L

58 lanes will never be enough either ....

LOL, not for this chap: 

Michael of Sydney and the Gold Coast Posted  At 10:15am today
A classic planning stuff up by the Australian, NSW and Queensland Governments. Planners cannot see beyond their anti motor vehicle ideology; the Pacific Motorway should have been 3 lanes each way minimum and designed to European standards (ie for 130 kph) from the start. Upgrading will cost far more than getting it right first time.

I've crossed swords with "Michael" on the GC Bulletin site before, mainly on the topic of the light rail.  I'm fairly sure he's Michael Lane of the National Motorists Association Australia.  There is great power on the dark side of the force.

[Mr X]

Too true! I keep forgetting our newest mode of PT  

This board needs a picture/emoticon of a car/car parking/road with a slash through it, like those used on no-smoking banners

[ozbob]

http://ribike.org/wp-content/uploads/no-cars.jpg

[O_128]

L O L

58 lanes will never be enough either ....

LOL, not for this chap: 

Michael of Sydney and the Gold Coast Posted  At 10:15am today
A classic planning stuff up by the Australian, NSW and Queensland Governments. Planners cannot see beyond their anti motor vehicle ideology; the Pacific Motorway should have been 3 lanes each way minimum and designed to European standards (ie for 130 kph) from the start. Upgrading will cost far more than getting it right first time.

Michael actually has a point though, The road should have been built properly to start with where as now its constantly being upgraded. The gateway motorway seems to be a never ending construction zone.

We can be as anti car as we like but some basic common sense when designed infrastructure projects would save a lot of money down the track.

[ozbob]

basic common sense when designed infrastructure projects would save a lot of money down the track

Yes, infrastructure failings and half baked efforts are a characteristic of transport and other infrastructure projects in Queensland.  It is a defining characteristic ... Queenslander!

[Set in train]

The main reason for the Mains Road grade sep is because Kessels Rd is a de-facto freeway, caused by imposing heavy vehicle tolls on the Logan and Gateway.  I bet you would see a lot of that traffic off suburban arterials if you could get around it without being slugged.

TMR has plans (wish list) to upgrade 5 intersections along the BUC (Brisbane Urban Corridor: Granard/Riawena/Kessels/Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Rds) to grade sep to in effect make the road an expressway, a truck expressway in an urban area is crazy.

The purpose built Gateway ext & Logan Mwy was built for traffic to transfer to, as well as Persse Rd ramps for access south from Acacia Ridge to Compton Rd & on - yet the Fed Govt do not want that because they can unnecessarily pork barrel while destroying a whole strip of businesses at Macgregor, no alternatives for them to relocate to.

The Mains Rd corridor has a set back on it at Delfin Dr & at Sunny Park to preserve a future transit corridor, a la busway. This route was earmarked in the 1996 report that sparked the SE Busway. Here's an example:
https://www.nearmap.com/?q=@-27.566137,153.065402&ll=-27.566137,153.065402&z=18&t=k&nmd=20111107

So the lowered Kessels Rd to encourage more trucks will cut across any below ground plans for the busway across Kessels Rd. Oh yes, they say there will bus priority but that is nowhere the benefits of preserving what's needed for a busway.

Mains Rd commuters in cars & buses (busiest non busway route in Bris) will be seething about this, because despite less traffic across their path, it still means a wait at a traffic light.

The BUC study conducted in 2002/03 showed the public did not want resumptions of business, houses and grade sep if it mean that the trucks would remain. This plan ignores the community. The Qld & Fed govts have taken advantage of the high English 2nd language count in the area to push this through without locals understanding ramifications.

Put simply, this is a project to convert the BUC by stealth to a truck expressway, is not in best interests of the residents who uses Mains Rd up to 500 times a year through that intersection.

[somebody]

^ Maybe get rid of the toll on the Logan Motorway.  Or reduce it to the car level.

[SurfRail]

I've crossed swords with "Michael" on the GC Bulletin site before, mainly on the topic of the light rail.  I'm fairly sure he's Michael Lane of the National Motorists Association Australia.  There is great power on the dark side of the force.

Correct.  He used to post with his surname, I have a suspicion he stopped after me and some others called him on his motives.

I'm afraid I have to agree with his basic premise here though.  The M1 is a road of national significance and a major freight route, and will always see local arterial traffic, so it may as well be built properly.  (Beyond that, his arguments make no sense at all - his association is basically a fringe group because even the NRMA and RACQ agree on the need for good public transport.)

It's interesting to note that for all the money diverted away from rail, we still do get very poor outcomes with our motorways and arterial roads...

[O_128]

I've crossed swords with "Michael" on the GC Bulletin site before, mainly on the topic of the light rail.  I'm fairly sure he's Michael Lane of the National Motorists Association Australia.  There is great power on the dark side of the force.

Correct.  He used to post with his surname, I have a suspicion he stopped after me and some others called him on his motives.

I'm afraid I have to agree with his basic premise here though.  The M1 is a road of national significance and a major freight route, and will always see local arterial traffic, so it may as well be built properly.  (Beyond that, his arguments make no sense at all - his association is basically a fringe group because even the NRMA and RACQ agree on the need for good public transport.)

It's interesting to note that for all the money diverted away from rail, we still do get very poor outcomes with our motorways and arterial roads...

you think with the amount of money sunk into roads we would have something like the autobahns. Though germany gets there cake and can eat it too with both autobahns and HSR

[SurfRail]

I've crossed swords with "Michael" on the GC Bulletin site before, mainly on the topic of the light rail.  I'm fairly sure he's Michael Lane of the National Motorists Association Australia.  There is great power on the dark side of the force.

Correct.  He used to post with his surname, I have a suspicion he stopped after me and some others called him on his motives.

I'm afraid I have to agree with his basic premise here though.  The M1 is a road of national significance and a major freight route, and will always see local arterial traffic, so it may as well be built properly.  (Beyond that, his arguments make no sense at all - his association is basically a fringe group because even the NRMA and RACQ agree on the need for good public transport.)

It's interesting to note that for all the money diverted away from rail, we still do get very poor outcomes with our motorways and arterial roads...

you think with the amount of money sunk into roads we would have something like the autobahns. Though germany gets there cake and can eat it too with both autobahns and HSR

Don't know about you but I'd rather be living and working in Australia at the moment, for all its faults...

[Mr X]

I think it's ridiculous that for the 30-40 bph that are on Mains Rd in peak hour, there isn't a traffic light free priority across Kessels Rd?
And what is wrong with the trucks using the Logan Mwy 

[#Metro]

November 19th, 2011

IT'S been just three years since the long fought for Tugun Bypass opened but already a new report says it needs to be expanded to six lanes and an on-ramp built at Boyd Street by 2017.

According to the report this work needs to be undertaken if the region is to cope with the massive influx of new residents on the Tweed.

The study further found the Pacific Motorway north of Stewart Road at Currumbin should be expanded to six lanes by 2017 and eight lanes by 2027, while the Gold Coast Highway at Boyd Street, Tugun needs to be expanded to six lanes by 2022.

Boyd Street -- which will provide the only access point to the proposed new estate of Cobaki in its initial stages -- will need to be expanded to four lanes by 2027 to cope with all the new residents.

The dramatic findings are contained in the final Cross Border Traffic Master Plan, released this week, which provides a blueprint for traffic management on the border for the next 20 years.

The plan was prepared by traffic planning consultancy Bitzios Consulting for the Queensland and NSW roads departments and their counterparts at the Tweed and Gold Coast councils.

The study comes as the Tweed border region prepares for massive population growth, with more than 5500 homes due to be built at Cobaki by 2031, 4000 new homes at Bilambil Heights and 1600 dwellings at Terranora.

The report found rapid growth at Gold Coast Airport and increased commuting between the Gold Coast and northern NSW would also contribute to congestion.

Other key findings showed traffic flows overwhelmingly towards the north from the Pacific Highway interchanges at Tweed Heads, Coolangatta and Currumbin (Stewart Road), indicating a north-bound on-ramp at Boyd Street would be crucial.

Until now, the trigger point for the building of an interchange at Boyd Street - which was controversially scrapped from the original Tugun Bypass plans - was when Cobaki reached 3500 homes in size.

TOLL IT and then use the toll funds to pay off the interest on a loan to build the train line down there.
OBVIOUS!!!

[Set in train]

TOLL IT and then use the toll funds to pay off the interest on a loan to build the train line down there.
OBVIOUS!!!

Almost akin to a border tax, oh wait, that's the near permanent speed camera at the first emergency crossover within Queensland that already does that!

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Motorists could wait 20 years for upgrade of Pacific Motorway at Springwood

[Golliwog]

^ Maybe get rid of the toll on the Logan Motorway.  Or reduce it to the car level.

Wouldn't happen, and you would be silly to do so IMO. Freight trucks may only be a small % of vehicles on main roads (roughly 10% IIRC is that standard, I would expect Logan Motorway to be higher), they cause the most damage to the road itself. To not-toll them would be to make everyone else pay for their damage.

[SurfRail]

^ Maybe get rid of the toll on the Logan Motorway.  Or reduce it to the car level.

Wouldn't happen, and you would be silly to do so IMO. Freight trucks may only be a small % of vehicles on main roads (roughly 10% IIRC is that standard, I would expect Logan Motorway to be higher), they cause the most damage to the road itself. To not-toll them would be to make everyone else pay for their damage.

As opposed to the current situation, where they ratrun around the tolls?

[Golliwog]

Don't they currently have some rule about trucks on the BUC only using the left lane? It's not perfect, but I expect the cost to maintain the Logan Motorway wouldn't be cheap.

[somebody]

Don't they currently have some rule about trucks on the BUC only using the left lane? It's not perfect, but I expect the cost to maintain the Logan Motorway wouldn't be cheap.

How does that reduce the cost of maintaining the road?  Presumably the Logan motorway is built to a more robust standard and wears less rapidly from having a few trucks.  Then there is the poor enviornmental outcome from having trucks avoid the motorway.

[Golliwog]

Don't they currently have some rule about trucks on the BUC only using the left lane? It's not perfect, but I expect the cost to maintain the Logan Motorway wouldn't be cheap.

How does that reduce the cost of maintaining the road?  Presumably the Logan motorway is built to a more robust standard and wears less rapidly from having a few trucks.  Then there is the poor enviornmental outcome from having trucks avoid the motorway.

If followed, it should limit the majority of the damage to that one lane. The second sentence though was seperate to the first and was about the idea of removing the toll from the Logan Motorway meaning that the money for repairs/maintenance is now coming only from the government rather than having the trucks pay some of it.

[petey3801]

Put a heavy vehicle toll on the BUC? Works everywhere else in the world...

[somebody]

Put a heavy vehicle toll on the BUC? Works everywhere else in the world...

That option would probably be electorally palatable too.  Great suggestion.