Make Victoria Bridge car-free?

[triplethree]

Just a thought I had this evening while I was driving in the inner city ...

In all the years I've owned a car in Brisbane, I have driven across each of the Centenary, Walter Taylor, William Jolly and Captain Cook Bridges more times than I could possibly count. I've used the Go Between and Story Bridges about half a dozen times each, the Clem7 once, and I've crossed the Gateway Bridge in my car maybe three times.

And how often have I driven across the Victoria Bridge?

Never.

I've never noticed a car traffic jam on the bridge either. Bus jams, of course, but never a car jam.

So this is just an idea I want to bounce around -- would it be possible to convert the Victoria Bridge to four bus lanes, and build two more platforms at the Cultural Centre busway station? The new lanes can be used for the West End 19x services and the CityGlider, and also the 4xx services bound for the Go Between Bridge and terminating services. The South East Busway services will need to use the existing platforms because they need the extra room to swing into the busway portal.

With a doubling of bus lanes and platforms, perhaps the infamous bus jams on the Victoria Bridge will be far less of a problem.

Of course emergency vehicles will still be able to cross the bridge. And motorists on the Kurilpa peninsula will still be able to access the city via Vulture St & Captain Cook Bridge, or Grey St & William Jolly Bridge.

Your thoughts?

[red dragin]

Driven over it a few times, lived within 2km of the CBD for 12 yrs now. Can't really see much wrong with culling it.

Major problem would be the north bank intersection, possibly dig North Quay under the buslanes.

[ozbob]

Yes!   

+10²⁰⁴⁸

[aldonius]

I support it, for precisely the reasons you mentioned.

Given the all the other bridges, it is only faster (where faster is defined as 'google maps preferred route') for car trips between Musgrave Pk area, bridge itself and Adelaide/Elizabeth/Charlotte Sts (depending on direction).

Of course, try to take car lanes away anywhere in this state and people will scream bloody murder.

To those who know a lot more about this than I do: would there be any net advantage in remodelling the Melbourne St portal (i.e. having it curve under the rail line to come out as a fiveways) such that through buses could use the current car lanes?
Obvious benefit is that West End & terminating buses turning right don't get in the way of busway buses, but is that enough?

Update: map!
http://goo.gl/maps/aMwbF

[Golliwog]

It depends. If when you close the Victoria Bridge to cars you changed how Grey St interacted with the busway (ie: make it go under or something) then I don't think so. A traffic light is a traffic light. But if it was still in the current set up with two sets of lights then I think there would be a benefit as while separate lights for separate things would usually be better than a chunky 5 way intersection, the two sets of lights are too close together to really be considered as separate.

The problem I see with a 5 way intersection though is it then becomes pedestrian unfriendly, which could be managed, but not sure physically how you could come through under the railway without closing the line temporarily. I'd think this may make the cost of doing this high and potentially outweigh the benefits.

I think the main source of congestion with the Melbourne St portal is how the two sets of lights interact with one another, combined with buses only having 1 lane thus buses for West End block those staying on the busway and vice versa. I think they have improved the lights to some degree so that they operate together, but theres still issues with that, and theres not much they can do about the West End VS. busway buses.

Either way, I support something being done here and the Victoria bridge crossing isn't particularly useful for the city north/west of Elizabeth St because of the dogleg around the casino and so has issues with through traffic as well.

[somebody]

Without two extra Cultural Centre platforms there isn't really an advantage for buses.

I've definitely seen car congestion on this bridge.  Try heading inbound around lunchtime on a Saturday.  For a number of people in West End, this is the main bridge to the CBD.  I don't see a good argument to close it to cars.  But something needs to be done about the Melbourne St portal bottleneck.

[Golliwog]

I know it's used by cars, but if you removed them, this would allow you to have a faster cycle time at the North Quay intersection. Not having to deal with the traffic lights at Grey st would also make a car trip via the William Jolly faster.

[johnnigh]

Could someone comment on the load constraints on the Vic Bridge? Rumour has it that a plan to add a roof to the ped pathways was scuppered by engineering issues relating to the effect on the structure, and that related to how close the current bus loads currently come to the safe operating load for the bridge. If that is the case, then doubling the number of buses on the bridge at any time might not be possible. I think the current Vic bridge is the fourth at this site, maybe time for #5? Or the Adelaide St - Cultural Centre bus station bus-bridge proposed a few years ago?

[somebody]

I know it's used by cars, but if you removed them, this would allow you to have a faster cycle time at the North Quay intersection. Not having to deal with the traffic lights at Grey st would also make a car trip via the William Jolly faster.

There would still be traffic lights at Grey St.

You would only save a cycle at North Quay by removing the right turn heading south towards the Vic Bridge.  The other movements occur at the same time as the buses turn right from Vic Bridge heading towards Elizabeth St.

EDIT: Actually, you also need to remove the Bus move from William St to the Cultural Centre.

[Jonno]

Or the Adelaide St - Cultural Centre bus station bus-bridge proposed a few years ago?

+10000.  Time to grade separate busway/future light metro through the city. Leave the street for local bus servies and create trunk routes on grade separate Busway and allow all bus companies use it.  They are Translink Services and should be able to use any and all infrastructure.

[ozbob]

Media release 9th September 2016

Brisbane:  Convert Victoria Bridge to a ' green ' 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 called for the conversion of the Victoria Bridge to a green bridge.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"RAIL Back on Track supports conversion of the Victoria Bridge to a Green Bridge to allow buses, bicycles and pedestrians only.

"We already have major bus congestion associated with the Cultural Centre bus station and Victoria Bridge.  This is only going to worsen considerably with road closures associated with Queens Wharf Brisbane project.  This means in effect that even more buses will be added to the existing bus jam on Victoria Bridge.

"Network reform needs to proceed but we also need to bite the bullet and free up Victoria Bridge for buses, bicycles and pedestrians only.

"BCC has made a request to make Victoria Bridge a green bridge but the State Government has refused this request.

"We support BCC on this.  It is essential that the State Government re-think their decision.  We have looming transport chaos and clear thinking is required.

"To test the impacts on car traffic, we propose a controlled experiment. Brisbane City Council could block two car traffic lanes using barriers, leaving both lanes for exclusive bicycle use. Cycle parking could also be placed at the entrance of Stanley Street, near QPAC. An alternative entrance to the QPAC car park exists underneath the Queensland Museum, so we do not believe that will be a problem.

"These changes can be introduced over a single weekend, at minimal cost. The beauty of this approach is that these changes are also easily and cheaply reversed.

"During this trial, which we suggest should last about 4-6 months, Brisbane City Council should monitor car traffic, pedestrian and cyclist numbers. It should perform monitoring at two 'control' sites, for example, the Story Bridge, Bowen Bridge Road or Breakfast Creek Rd. This will allow council to rule out confounding influences.

"Closing the Victoria Bridge to car traffic is not unprecedented: The Victoria Bridge is often closed for special events such as marches, parades, or fireworks. Figures from Brisbane City Council show three times more traffic uses the William Jolly Bridge (ca. 35,000 vehicles/day) than the Victoria Bridge (ca. 10,000 vehicles/day). Even the relatively new Go Between Bridge carries more traffic (14,000 vehicles/day).

"West End and South Brisbane have Brisbane's highest cycling mode share at 10%. They also have Queensland's best public transport - there is no pressing need to have a car in these suburbs. Conversion has broad political support from both The Greens and the LNP.  It has our support also. Drivers have plenty of other options - the Go Between Bridge, the Captain Cook Bridge, and the toll-free William Jolly Bridge.

"We support Brisbane City Council's request to convert the Victoria Bridge to a green bridge, and call on Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to approve this unique trial as a matter of urgency."

References:

Cycling in Queensland today - Department of Transport
http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/-/media/Travelandtransport/Cycling/Strategy/QCS-2011-to-2021/07Pagesfrom01440MIPparta4.pdf?la=en

A tale of three toll roads: road network impact varies
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/a-tale-of-three-tolls-road-network-impact-varies-20120813-244ov.html

Convert Victoria Bridge into a ' green ' bridge
http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12370.msg179320#msg179320

Ban cars from Victoria Bridge: experts
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/ban-cars-from-victoria-bridge-experts-20111121-1nrl5.html

Victoria Bridge our 'weakest link', say transport experts
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/victoria-bridge-our-weakest-link-say-transport-experts-20111127-1o1up.html

Contact:

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

====

Facebook ....

Victoria Bridge Brisbane 21st January 2021 The Victoria Bridge will be permanently closing to general traffic from 8pm...

Posted by RAIL - Back On Track on Wednesday, 20 January 2021

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/cbdbug/status/1353915058401677313

[#Metro]

Well done BCC!

[brissypete]

https://twitter.com/cbdbug/status/1353915058401677313

I detoured on my way home from work and cycled the former traffic lanes, felt a bit strange. The plans for it look good, should be much safer for everyone.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[achiruel]

Are emergency vehicles permitted to use the Victoria Bridge still? I understand they are permitted to use the busways, I assume this will be the same?

[Otto]

Are emergency vehicles permitted to use the Victoria Bridge still? I understand they are permitted to use the busways, I assume this will be the same?

Yes, they will. May not be the best choice during peak though.