Dr Bruce Flegg
Member for Moggill

“Overpass Structures

There are 7 overpass structures across the existing motorway. They are listed below together with their configurations in Table 2.4. the future of these structures should be reviewed when the lane arrangements and road geometry are better known but it is likely that most, if not all, will require demolition.

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·     Of the seven on and off ramps none meet current design standards and advice to the Government was that three to four of the ramps would need to be closed if there were to be a significant upgrade of the motorway

“Observation

As the anticipated concept planning philosophy is to develop the Motorway to at least six lanes (cross-section composition yet to be confirmed) from Ipswich Motorway to the Toowong Roundabout, all of the existing ramp arrangements would need to be upgraded to the current standard.  The current interchange spacings are too close to accommodate an upgrade of this kind.                                                                                                                                                     ”

·     Configuration is not suitable for motorway speed limits and safety standards

 

 

“An important design issue with the existing horizontal alignment is the inadequate sight distance due to both the median and verge shoulder widths not meeting current standards.  This is most notable in the R248 curve north of the Kenmore Road overpass.  Almost every other horizontal curve has only a 70 or 80 km/h design speed on at least one carriageway. 

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  ·     The bend in the motorway near Kenmore Road overpass is only suitable for a design speed of 60 kph (currently sign posted at 80kph). ·     The report has foreshadowed the necessity to close a significant number of the on ramps if any significant upgrade of the road is to be achieved including Fig Tree Pocket Road and Sumners Road.  I believe it is important to ensure that in any upgrade local communities still have reasonable access and a number of options were looked at including service roads.

 ·     The report makes it clear that the current road corridor to the Western Freeway is not adequate to meet the objectives of a major upgrade.

 ·     The State Government is yet to commit to the Northern Link Tunnel from the Toowong Roundabout.  It is not realistic to consider any measure that would solve the Western Freeway without dealing with the Toowong Roundabout.  At this stage fortunately for western suburbs residents the Brisbane City Council is pushing ahead with plans for the Northern Link Tunnel and very importantly making those plans public and allowing communities to have the information and debate that is an important part of the process.  The same cannot be said for information about the Western Freeway. 

Public Transport upgrade badly needed   

  ·     The report makes it clear that bus lanes and/or transit lanes are essential to any upgrade.  We included this in Opposition policy at the last election and clearly there is a desperate need for dramatically increased focus on public transport in Brisbane’s west.

 

The State Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan allocates the western growth corridor to be the home for 250,000 people. I think it is distressing that the plan is not accompanied by any serious effort to provide the infrastructure that they will need.

Imagine nearly tripling the present population of Ipswich and then trying to feed that level of traffic on to the already failing Western Freeway without having any publicly announced plan to deal with it.  Well that is what is happening! 

In fact, given the South East Queensland Regional Plan is already in implementation, the Western Freeway should already be beyond planning stage into implementation stage. I see history repeating itself that the continuing growth will be met with continuing failure to provide reasonable infrastructure. 

The State Government has a 20 year infrastructure plan and amazingly it does not contain detail or funding of any major upgrade to the Western Freeway. 

This road is already failing and local residents are all too painfully aware every morning that moves to ignore the working of this road were actually needed years ago

ConclusionThis is a major report that makes it very clear the Western Freeway is a mess and hugely expensive to fix.   I had to obtain this report under FOI laws (just as I had to obtain the Moggill Road Safety Study). Whilst we get lots of talk about infrastructure the Western Freeway (and Northern link) are critical and need action. Massive undertaking or not the Government must get moving on it ASAP. Part of that is getting communities involved (not hiding the truth).  That’s why I pursue these matters under FOI etc.  The Government are fuelling western corridor growth but sitting on their hands about supporting infrastructure. Western Brisbane is ignored time and time again. I will continue pushing.  I want the Government to get the Western Freeway plan sorted, inform communities and get the upgrade into the SEQ Infrastructure Plan.