The final draft of the Environmental Approvals Report (EAR) for the Kenmore Bypass Planning Study has been released for community information. You can view the EAR on the Department of Transport and Main Roads website: http://www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/web/publicCR.nsf/DOCINDEX/Kenmore+Bypass+Planning+Study . In short, they don’t see any reason not to do the Bypass, though the impacts are significant, especially to those who enjoy this green space.
The community is invited to provide their comments to the project team until 30 June 2009. Please do! Write to mainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au to be heard. An analysis follows.
Our argument is still that there are quicker, better and cheaper alternatives traffic relief suggestions for our area. Fixing the Kenmore Roundabout and pedestrian overpasses deliver an expansion in capacity of around 40% for a cost of less than $10 Million.
Any major expansion to the road network could only be rationalised by either massive small lot development or linkage through to the Warrego Highway.
The NIB of the Environmental Aassessment Report process is it does not considered the impacts of either of utilisation of the entire corridor or the environmental impact of massive small lot development so it is flawed and limited.
On specifics, the EAR shows:
On fauna - there are numerous threatened and protected species in the area - Main Roads acknowledge this (protected at a Federal, State and local level).
They have made significant changes to the project to try to reduce impact - and they think “she’ll be right mate”.
Main Roads have form for being wrong - such as with spotted quolls on the Mt Lindesay Highway.
On koalas - after spending another week looking for koalas or koala poo between Gem Road and Kenmore Road, they didn’t find any. This of concern because there is a report from koala expert and former local Ranger, Ric Nattrass, which says should the Bypass be built, it will lead to local extinction of koalas. The Premier described Ric Nattrass on ABC radio last year as being “a respected and credible expert”. At best, there are conflicting opinions. Given the area examined, recent local sightings and noises heard, I know who my money is on.
On noise - they won’t be able to fully mitigate noise imapacts, should they proceed. They won’t be able to meet their own noise criterion (which ignores sleeping hours of midnight to 6 am) for between 22 and 44 locations.
On changes to design - they are redesigning to try to not sever Gem Road, to more properly flood proof Moggill Creek, which is adding significantly to cost and difficulty of design. BCC was singled out for criticism for insisting on duplicate access to the area for flood mitigation, and social connectivity reasons.
In general - project is running late, will have spent about $10 Million (about the same cost as signalising and reconfiguring Kenmore roundabout and pedestrian over/under passes at the schools.)
Main Roads were at pains to point out no decision has been made to proceed, and no funding has been allocated.
This is not a environmental impact assessment that allows construction to occur, just forms a basis for it. There will be numerous approvals required, should a decision be made to proceed and Main Roads highlights the significant species in the area (and there are a number they have potentially missed).
Write to the Minister for Main Roads - and let him know the $10 Million spent on talking would have fixed local traffic problems. In these difficult and troubled times, the time for expensive wheel spinning is gone - leadership means simple, cost effective solutions. Tell him about the imapct on 3800 local residents, on the range of species identified in the EIS. Tell him about the alternatives: mainroads@ministerial.qld.gov.au
7 Comments to “Comment on Environmental Approvals Report ASAP”
susan kuylaars
this is going to ruin the whole area and the reason people moved out here onto acrerage properties
anon3
IIRC UQ came to one of the meetings and interviewed ppl about the social impacts.
has this study concluded? what where the results?
Liz
The closing date for comment on the EAR has been extended - see email from Kenmore Bypass Planning Study team.
‘Due to the integration of the Main Roads and Queensland Transport websites into the new Department of Transport and Main Roads website, the Environmental Approvals Report (EAR) was unavailable on the web for a short period of time. The report is now back on the web and able to be downloaded.
As a result, to ensure the community has the opportunity to review and provide comment on the EAR, the comment period for the EAR has been extended from Tuesday 30 June 2009 to Monday 6 July 2009.
You can view the EAR on the Department of Transport and Main Roads website, http://www.transportandmainroads.qld.gov.au, click on the Main Roads link and then search Kenmore Bypass.’
anon3
i think the EAR underestimates the Noise and visual amenity.
if you look at the coloured maps of who can view the bypass i was so shocked: Brookfield and Pullenvale and 1/2 of Jindalee can!
Penny Behan
I have just heard of the pass of Ric Nattrass. I am truely devastated by his passing.
What a man! I only had limited contact with him unfortunately.
He urged me to resign from the Community Reference Group as he said I was being used as a political pawn who would be ignored. Even after the derogatory comments made about him at the CRG, I stayed bacause some of you urged me to.
Only a fortnight ago Ric was thinking of our Koalas. Ringing Helen to advise her of a Koala run over on the Centenary Highway. Who will fight for them now?
He was someone who was prepared to speak the truth and take the criticism of unprofessional people in the environmental consulting world making a profit out of others misery - mainly Koalas. I was and remain angered by his treatment by Main Roads. At least he got to hear the Premier show more confidence in Ric’s opinion than theirs.
What an enormous loss. I will keep fighting against the Kenmore Bypass - encouraged by his unwavering support.
Thanks Ric, you made your mark on this world and mine. Wish there were more like you - people with a spine and conviction. Only the good die young.
PeterJ
The green light has been given for the northern bypass tunnel (in principle it seems anyway). This will give weight to the KB becoming a reality. Bligh is on the nose and we’ll have Flegg and Co. chomping at the bit come next election. He may even become a Minister in a new state government and that alone is cause for great concern. The only way from here is to have an Independant stand against the major parties. The election is a long way out but someone has to stand up now and be prepared for the long haul. We have a waning Labor party who has gone quiet and not willing to land the final blow, whilst the sitting member has laid out his plans. This will need to be community effort to have the KB quashed. There is another 2-3 years to go.
Pamela
I was shocked to find out today that Ric Nattrass had died recently, though I know of Ric only through his efforts for those of us against the Kenmore Bypass and his efforts to save native wildlife - particularly the koalas. So it felt strangely “fitting” however, that he died without fanfare - dying out of the public eye, just like his beloved koalas.
His support of communities like ours will be sorely missed. It is a mark of the man that we feel we knew him and now we miss him. I intend to continue Ric’s fight to save our native wildlife and our beautiful communities. RIP Ric