Suggestions for 'green bridge' locations

[ozbob]

Any suggestions for green bridge locations?

E.g.

Toowong (old ABC site) across to West End (Orleigh Park)  - pedestrian, cycle bridge.

Newstead / Bulimba  - bus, pedestrian, cycle bridge.

[ozbob]

An interesting recent article at Brisbanetimes --> A bridge too far? Lack of crossings riles planners

[Gazza]

I think one from the end of Boundary St, West end to UQ would be good.

I'd also like to see Riverhills to Bellbowrie, and Moggil to Riverview (To replace the ferry)

[#Metro]

Green bridges should be placed in locations that complement the geometry of the wider road network.

Riverhills to Bellbowrie - Direct access to Darra Station
Coronation Drive @ Land Street - Victoria Street - would allow Carindale to Toowong & Indooroopilly Cross town buses to flow down Vulture Street

[johnnigh]

Riverhills to Bellbowrie - Direct access to Darra Station

The most obvious and cheap bridge - no commercial river traffic or yachts to worry about, and the river is a bit narrower than further downstream. This bus/ped/cycle bridge would reduce pressure on Moggill Rd and Legacy Way (wait a minute - that's a toll road, so grossly underutilized - what am I saying?)

Down at Bulimba, a bridge is much more needed, but much, much more expensive due to the river being busy with commercial traffic and height implications, without high banks to provide a simple solution to design and construction problems.

The ABC site at Toowong has long been suggested, even informed sources suggest that lack of work on the bikeway between Toowong and Macquarie St is based on some future bridge at Toowong and at Guyatt Park.

[BrizCommuter]

Newstead to Bulimba should be number 1 priority for green bridges.

On the subject of river crossings, London's has a new dangleway.

[SurfRail]

The UQ one was low hanging fruit because of the gradients etc involved.  Getting one anywhere else is going to be much more difficult to do while still leaving the river navigable.

[#Metro]

Down at Bulimba, a bridge is much more needed, but much, much more expensive due to the river being busy with commercial traffic and height implications, without high banks to provide a simple solution to design and construction problems.

What is needed is a RIVER CROSSING. This does not necessarily imply a bridge, and a bridge in that section might be more difficult given the river geometry at that location. The ferry service between there could simply be made faster (get a faster boat) and made free (its such a short trip) and the span made wider. Alternatively you could put a dangleway (no operator), and that would also work. Does it have to be a bridge? No.

[somebody]

The ferries are already quite quick.  Only around 5 minutes for a crossing, running mostly every 12 minutes.  Not much fruit to be picked here.

[Gazza]

Newstead to Bulimba should be number 1 priority for green bridges.

On the subject of river crossings, London's has a new dangleway.

What sort of a name is a "Dangleway"? The name cable car is fine.

[#Metro]

The ferries are already quite quick.  Only around 5 minutes for a crossing, running mostly every 12 minutes.  Not much fruit to be picked here.

I agree, but with a faster ferry the frequency could be increased and be better for bikes etc. New and improved ferries with bicycle capacity etc are also cheaper than a $50-100 million dollar bridge.

In fact, we should ask - what is the purpose of a bridge at that cost? Buses can cross the bridge, but seriously, you can upgrade BUZ 230 for less than $100 million dollars. In fact, try $5 million!

[Golliwog]

Eagle Street to Kangaroo Point? Given the ferries, etc that run through here I'd expect the solution would be to tie the CBD side into the 2nd floor of one of the existing buildings so that it doesn't get in the way.

[somebody]

The ferries are already quite quick.  Only around 5 minutes for a crossing, running mostly every 12 minutes.  Not much fruit to be picked here.

I agree, but with a faster ferry the frequency could be increased and be better for bikes etc. New and improved ferries with bicycle capacity etc are also cheaper than a $50-100 million dollar bridge.

In fact, we should ask - what is the purpose of a bridge at that cost? Buses can cross the bridge, but seriously, you can upgrade BUZ 230 for less than $100 million dollars. In fact, try $5 million!

One is an ongoing cost and the other is a once off though.  So not really apples with apples.

[#Metro]

One is an ongoing cost and the other is a once off though.  So not really apples with apples.

But you can compare. When you walk into a fruit shop, do you say 'I can't compare apples and bananas, therefore I will just buy all of them'. No of course not - they're both fruit, and just like this, they're both ways of getting across the river.

$ 150 million (schonell bridge cost, perhaps more) divided by 5 million = 30 years of a BUZ

I'd say BUZ the 230, realign the 235 to run down Oxford Street as well, and boost the ferry services - either cut the fares entirely or do up the boat so it carries bicycles nice and fast. Cable car can also be looked at, but the problem there is that there is already very high voltage electricity transmission wires suspended over that section of the river - electromagnetic frequency radiation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_radiation_and_health and also high voltage risk in the case of a malfunction or high wind!

[Mr X]

You'll find the Eleanor Schonell Bridge only cost around $60M 2006 dorrars. -> 10  "BUZ" years
All other bridges since have been waaay more expensive. Coro Drive flyover alone cost $90M 

[#Metro]

Yes, correct, was not $150 million. Although a new Adelaide Street Bridge appears around $100 million (estimate) and I'd suspect a Bulimba one would be even more.

[somebody]

One is an ongoing cost and the other is a once off though.  So not really apples with apples.

But you can compare. When you walk into a fruit shop, do you say 'I can't compare apples and bananas, therefore I will just buy all of them'. No of course not - they're both fruit, and just like this, they're both ways of getting across the river.

$ 150 million (schonell bridge cost, perhaps more) divided by 5 million = 30 years of a BUZ

No, you walk into a fruit shop and decide what you want.  It's the same here.

[#Metro]

No, you walk into a fruit shop and decide what you want.  It's the same here.

And how do you decide without making a comparison?

[Gazza]

$ 150 million (schonell bridge cost, perhaps more) divided by 5 million = 30 years of a BUZ

The bridge lasts for 80-100 years though.

[colinw]

Looking outside Brisbane City, how about Drews Road, Tanah Merah, to Eden's Landing station?

Would give rail access to a chunk of Logan City that is on the wrong side of the river (but can hear the trains whizzing past).  Put a park & ride  and a bus turnaround on the river side of Eden's Landing station, and run a bus from Eden's Landing to Logan Hyperdome.

[STB]

Looking outside Brisbane City, how about Drews Road, Tanah Merah, to Eden's Landing station?

Would give rail access to a chunk of Logan City that is on the wrong side of the river (but can hear the trains whizzing past).  Put a park & ride  and a bus turnaround on the river side of Eden's Landing station, and run a bus from Eden's Landing to Logan Hyperdome.

I would've thought that linking Station Rd with Armstrong Rd at Bethania or extending Federation Drive through to Loganlea Rd would be a better way of doing things, knowing that Bethania is essentially land locked between the railway, river and Brisbane-Beenleigh Rd, which would allow buses to not have to do what the 563 does and loop around Bethania in a one way loop (with crappy bus-train connections to boot) and getting Bethania linked better with the hospital and university and Logan Hyperdome.

[colinw]

I like those ideas as well, although IMHO they serve a different market to linking Eden's Landing station to Tanah Merah & Logan Hyperdome.

There are so many places where missing links result in seriously sub-optimal bus routes or separate rail stations from what would otherwise be a catchment area.  The bridge I suggested above would easily double the catchment for Eden's Landing station.

[HappyTrainGuy]

I've said this before but merge Holmview/Edens Landing realign the kink, build a bridge over the river and then bring on feeder routes.

[somebody]

How about a pedestrian bridge/subway from Greenslopes busway to the other side of the motorway.  Would more than double its pedestrian catchment.

[colinw]

While you're at it, can we please have a pedestrian bridge from Eight Mile Plains busway station to Brisbane Technology Park?  Almost nobody here uses the bus, because its too much of a hike to the busway. Would also bring the busway within a 5 minute walk of The Glen Hotel.

[somebody]

While you're at it, can we please have a pedestrian bridge from Eight Mile Plains busway station to Brisbane Technology Park?  Almost nobody here uses the bus, because its too much of a hike to the busway. Would also bring the busway within a 5 minute walk of The Glen Hotel.

I'd support that.  Although some way would have to be found to reach Brandi St - looks like pretty solid warehouses in the way.

[colinw]

While you're at it, can we please have a pedestrian bridge from Eight Mile Plains busway station to Brisbane Technology Park?  Almost nobody here uses the bus, because its too much of a hike to the busway. Would also bring the busway within a 5 minute walk of The Glen Hotel.

I'd support that.  Although some way would have to be found to reach Brandi St - looks like pretty solid warehouses in the way.

I think you'd need to get through around here.  Much of the property here belongs to the State Government (or did originally), depends on what the least conditions are. Hopefully it would be possible to push an easement between some of those buildings even if the path had a wall on either side of it.

The current walk from here to the busway is indirect, and horrible in wet weather because there's a section that isn't sealed.

Another possibility might be to put a path across the back of the buildings here, then pop up to Brandl St at one of the as yet un-developed vacant blocks.

[BrizCommuter]

Newstead to Bulimba should be number 1 priority for green bridges.

On the subject of river crossings, London's has a new dangleway.

What sort of a name is a "Dangleway"? The name cable car is fine.

Dangleway is not it's real name.

[Golliwog]

How about a pedestrian bridge/subway from Greenslopes busway to the other side of the motorway.  Would more than double its pedestrian catchment.

You can already get under the motorway about 100m north of the busway station there with the bikepath that runs along next to the culvert/drain there. No idea how well that is lit up at night though. They also seem to be building a bike path alongside the busway south from Greenslopes, not sure if it ends at the busway there or continues on further. These are viewable from Nearmap here.

EDIT: On the topic of bridges outside the CBD that could be quite useful, I'd push strongly for the pedestrian overpass at Gaythorne station to be extended to cross over Samford Rd if/when the station gets an upgrade (most likely when DDA compliance is required). Currently the only crossing is at the traffic lights with Pickering St. This isn't an upgrade I can see being done by itself, as it isn't exactly necessary, but when the existing rickety wooden overbridge is eventually up for replacment I see no reason why it couldn't be extended all the way across. If they do the army specials like they did last year on ANZAC day to get the troops back to the base it'd at least be heavily used on 1 day a year

[somebody]

How about a pedestrian bridge/subway from Greenslopes busway to the other side of the motorway.  Would more than double its pedestrian catchment.

You can already get under the motorway about 100m north of the busway station there with the bikepath that runs along next to the culvert/drain there. No idea how well that is lit up at night though. They also seem to be building a bike path alongside the busway south from Greenslopes, not sure if it ends at the busway there or continues on further. These are viewable from Nearmap here.

Perhaps if you get off the bus at the far rear stand, but there's at least 400m+ walk before you can reach the first residence.  You can't just walk over to Waldheim St.

I still think the pedestrian arrangements make the station far less useful.  It's a 10 minute walk just to reach the 120's "Ekibin" stop.  Residences START only slightly before.

[Golliwog]

How about a pedestrian bridge/subway from Greenslopes busway to the other side of the motorway.  Would more than double its pedestrian catchment.

You can already get under the motorway about 100m north of the busway station there with the bikepath that runs along next to the culvert/drain there. No idea how well that is lit up at night though. They also seem to be building a bike path alongside the busway south from Greenslopes, not sure if it ends at the busway there or continues on further. These are viewable from Nearmap here.

Perhaps if you get off the bus at the far rear stand, but there's at least 400m+ walk before you can reach the first residence.  You can't just walk over to Waldheim St.

I still think the pedestrian arrangements make the station far less useful.  It's a 10 minute walk just to reach the 120's "Ekibin" stop.  Residences START only slightly before.

Hmmmm, well the bike path thing MIGHT be doing something about the dog leg to get around to Lewisham St. I went through northbound to Buranda on Saturday and noticed what appeared to be the start spot of a bridge to go further north at the creek there, but couldn't see the start of anything on the same level on the other side of the crossing (they hadn't even started to clear foliage). It may be that the bike path (which looks like it would tie into the back of the northbound Greenslopes platform) then has a bridge that crosses the creek and connects down onto Lewisham St under the motorway. Not as useful for residents down on Willis St, but I think a (potentially) much better outcome for those on the western side of Lewisham.

Anyone know if this is a State or Local project? Or if it even has an online project page?
Found it, TMR project. It does indeed have a bridge across to Lewisham Street. http://qbcivil.com.au/index.php?page=greenslopes-bikeway---lewisham-street-to-birdwood-road
EDIT: Fixed quotes, plus, found link.

[Mr X]

Veloway -> http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/V/Veloway-1-Cycleway-Pacific-Motorway.aspx

[somebody]

I think you are missing my point.  How do you walk due west from Greenslopes station?  The bridge near Ridge/Lewisham isn't useful for such trips at all.  You need to go down to Ekibin/Arnwood, which is a long walk before you reach any potential patronage.

[Golliwog]

No I'm not, I can see that this won't do much for residents down on Ekibin, etc. However, it's certainly better than a kick in the pants for those on Waldheim and Dudley and the rest as these people (as I understand it anyway) would now only walk along Lewisham to the motorway where they can walk up this new bridge to the busway.

[somebody]

No I'm not, I can see that this won't do much for residents down on Ekibin, etc. However, it's certainly better than a kick in the pants for those on Waldheim and Dudley and the rest as these people (as I understand it anyway) would now only walk along Lewisham to the motorway where they can walk up this new bridge to the busway.

Surely the point of this thread is to talk about what is NOT there, rather than foaming about what is.  Just to reach Waldheim/View via the bridge you mention is over 500m.  The Annerley Junction express stop on Ipswich Rd is closer for almost everyone west of the Motorway.

[Fares_Fair]

We really need a foaming icon.
That term gets used quite a bit by some.
Just a suggestion. 

[HappyTrainGuy]

We really need a foaming icon.

[Stillwater]

Foaming
http://findicons.com/icon/39190/anger?id=349826