New Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner has big plans for Brisbane and among these are the five new green bridges for the city, including the long-discussed Kangaroo Point to CBD bridge.
The four other proposed bridges will link Toowong to West End, Bellbowrie to Wacol, St Lucia to West End, and Hamilton to Newstead across the Breakfast Creek.
The five green bridges are estimated to cost more than $550 million and will be delivered within the next five to 10 years.
Brisbane City Council committed to fund at least two-thirds of the project and will allocate the initial funding in the next budget in June 2019.
Kangaroo Point Bridge Timeline
The pedestrian and cyclist bridge connecting the CBD and Kangaroo Point has long been anticipated but did not happen due to issues in funding.
2013
Former Lord Mayor Graham Quirk launched the Brisbane City Council’s 2013 Draft City Centre Master Plan which included the Kangaroo Point Bridge as one of its six priority projects.
Based on the information supplied by the Council, a bridge in the location was first proposed as early as the 1800s and a design was developed by 1890.
However, it was never constructed and the Council believed it was due to the severe economic recession of the 1890s and the costs of the 1893 flood.
2014
BCC released a design concept by Richard Kirk Architects.The Council believed the double curved suspension design would add an elegant form to the city’s skyline, have minimal impact on the river’s edge.
The community feedback released by Council revealed the following insights:
- general support for the concept and embracing active travel
- bridge should accommodate cyclists as well as pedestrians
- bridge should provide shade and seating
- design should include safety hand rails
- additional vehicle bridge crossings should be considered
2018
The State Government offered funding to the Council to develop a business case. Cr Schrinner, who was the public transport chairman at the time, revealed the Council was supportive of the bridge but did not have the funds to build it.
The Council’s forward estimates allocated $32 million for the pedestrian and cycling bridge but it did not appear in the succeeding budgets.
Cr Schrinner said the construction of the Kangaroo Point bridge would cost more than $100 million and the more detailed design will be around $5 million.
Present
The new Lord Mayor promised he will commit to the new bridges regardless of the upcoming election in March 2020.
“These bridges will accommodate, in some cases, public transport but they will also accommodate walking and cycling to get people out of their cars, to reduce traffic congestion and create a cleaner, greener Brisbane,” Cr Schrinner said.