Preferred Planning Option released

Received this from the Kenmore Bypass Planning Study source. Keep in mind that this release was assured regardless of the eventual outcome. This release does not mean they have decided to build the bypass, just that this is how they would do it. This is the option that now will go up the chain to be budgeted and prioritised. All the same, it’s a reminder that our battle continues.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) has finalised the preferred planning option for a potential Kenmore Bypass.

The preferred planning option is a four-lane bypass (two lanes in each direction), linking Moggill Road and the Centenary Motorway.

Motorists travelling on the proposed bypass will link directly to  Moggill Road to travel south, with a signalised T-intersection for those wishing to travel north on Moggill Road.

The bypass option includes connections to the Centenary Motorway, as well as a complete reconfiguration of the Centenary Motorway and Fig  Tree Pocket interchange. Gem Road would also be reconfigured to pass under the bypass, connecting more directly to Sunset Road.

A shared off-road pedestrian and cyclist path would be provided along the entire bypass route with a connection to the Centenary Bikeway.

Please visit:
http://www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/Projects/A-Z-Search/K-M/Kenmore-Bypass-Planning-Study.aspx
for more information about the preferred planning option. (continued »)

State Government Interim development controls fail to protect urban koalas

The State Government stated that the steep decline in South East Queensland’s koala population demanded that tighter development controls be introduced without delay — to boost the protection of koalas in new urban areas until the proposed state planning policy for koala conservation is in place. (Refer: http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/regional-planning/interim-development-controls.html ) (continued »)

Scathing Auditor-General audit of transport management

The Auditor General has released this report about the Bypass. Please take a look and use it as you take action against this debacle. If you need a reader for the PDF document, you can get it here. The Auditor General has slammed transport planning. An analysis follows. (continued »)

Courier-Mail article on Bypass and Flegg

Today the Courier Mail has highlighted Bruce Flegg does not have a congestion plan for our area, just an unfunded “commitment”. See page 17 for the whole article, and once we get an online link for it, we will link to it. Here are some highlights:

• Flegg yesterday confirmed he would get the road built, but admitted there was no money to build it.
• LNP Leader Lawrence Springborg was forced to furiously back away from the promise.
• “feasibility study put the cost at between $400 Million and $770 Million”

Bruce Flegg doesn’t have a plan to tackle congestion in our area – just more empty rhetoric.  Bruce can’t even get his own party leader to support it. (continued »)

Bypass mentioned on talk radio

Thank you to Madonna King for highlighting this important issue on 612 radio Monday morning.

Whilst the Deputy Premier did not give the answer we were all looking for - that he would stop the alternate Ipswich motorway here and that there are quicker, better and cheaper solutions to relieve local congestion - he does make a number of points:  this was Bruce Flegg’s idea; and  there are koalas in the corridor. (continued »)

Time to fight!

Yesterday, the State Member for Moggill was again advocating for the Kenmore Bypass in Parliament and the need and right to use pre-existing transport corridors for the freeway.  No doubt, he means the whole corridor from Karalee through to the Centenary Highway, like his mate, the Deputy Premier.  If they both want to build the Western Bypass through the middle of the western suburbs (now via Centenary Highway), let them both campaign together on it.  Thanks again to Ronan Lee for his support for local residents, for taxpayers and finding solutions.

• As taxpayers, we have a right to ensure our money is spent wisely
• As commuters, we have a right to ensure transport solutions make real improvements, not waste our money.
• As local residents, we have a right to expect our local member should hold the Government accountable
• As local residents, we have the right to expect our local member to help residents as local property searches haven’t revealed the extent of the Kenmore Bypass, and should be taking it up with the Government
• As Queenslanders, we have the right to expect our Government to stand by their statements regarding our environment and specifically protection of our state fauna emblem, Koalas.

At over half a billion dollars, to cut four minutes off peak trips, one minute off off-peak trips for about 4,500 return trips to the city, at the cost to the health and wellbeing of almost 4000 people, when there are better alternatives, we have every RIGHT to demand quick, better and cheaper alternatives.  We have every RIGHT to demand decent representation. Do this on our Actions page. (continued »)

Springborg and LNP acknowledge some truths about the Kenmore Bypass

Rick Kilgour sent a letter of Bypass opposition to several of those listed on our action page (and you can too!) Rick sends along for us to post this reply he got from Lawrence Springborg, Leader of the Opposition. It appears that Springborg and LNP acknowledge the bypass is a link to the Ipswich Motorway, and Centenary Highway is at capacity. (Note that this site does not endorse any political party; we duly report the positions.) (continued »)

Margaret de Wit forbids Kenmore Bypass materials at Neighbourhood Watch 20th Anniversary

Passing this along… Neighbourhood Watch has received a letter (see below) from the local Councillor, Margaret de Wit, making funding of their 20th Anniversary Event on June 29th — at Akuna Park in Kenmore — conditional upon there being no material, signs, or placards relating to the Kenmore Bypass at the Council-owned public park.

Neighbourhood Watch provides an invaluable service in helping keep our area safe, as a forum for discussion of local issues and in bringing our community together. With eighteen community groups joining with the Neighbourhood Watch on this day, we would not want to do anything at all to jeopardise their (partial) funding of this event and at their request, we draw your attention to Councillor de Wit’s letter. (continued »)

Public meeting Thursday June 12 7:00pm

Passing this along from The Greens who are organising a public meeting. It will be Thursday June 12 7:00pm at Kenmore State High School Hall (Mabb Street entrance). Please come! Thank you Greens for your support. (continued »)

Great speech by Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson, Federal member for Ryan, made a great speech about the Main Roads and WBTNI processes regarding the Kenmore Bypass and Moggill Pocket Sub Arterial. He supports our assertion that Stage 1 and Stage 2 are tightly linked; the Bypass would create a second bottleneck; and we should investigate a new bridge at Bellbowrie. Here are key excerpts, followed by the full text, as taken from the Federal Hansard. Thank you very much, Michael Johnson! (continued »)

Resumption letter from Main Roads

We have had a huge number of calls today and tonight from people telling our volunteers that they have received a letter from Main Roads. [See this article in Brisbane Times for details.] If you received a letter, please contact our volunteers or email or fax us a copy. (continued »)

Please write to Premier Anna Bligh

We have added to the action page the address of Queensland Premier Anna Bligh. It’s time to express your views on the Kenmore Bypass and Moggill Pocket Sub Arterial to our Premier. Here are the contact details:

Premier Anna Bligh
PO Box 15185
City East, QLD 4002
ThePremier@premiers.qld.gov.au
Fax: 3221 3631

Vandalism and theft of our signs– all, including Dr. Flegg, must speak out

A longtime Kenmore resident with a 91-year-old husband dying in hospital just had her “No Bypass” sign stolen from her private property. More signs have been defaced. Is this what our community has come to? Is a few minutes (if that) of commute time worth the sacrifice of the respect and peace of our residents, as well as beloved green public space and hundreds of millions of dollars? This is an outrageous, childish, demeaning response to the heartfelt effort of citizens expressing themselves in a civil manner. We ask Dr. Bruce Flegg, Liberal member of Moggill and chief proponent of the Bypass, to speak out in protest of this vandalism and theft. (continued »)

Bruce Flegg’s survey results

Dr. Flegg, as described on our facts page, is a major supporter of the Kenmore Bypass. He often asserts, as he did in the Brisbane Times article, that a survey he conducted shows a high percentage of support. On this page we explore this claim and show you the survey he sent. There is nothing wrong with gathering public opinion in a fair manner. However, we assert that this survey cannot be regarded as neutral and scientific, and therefore it cannot be concluded that so many of the people who received this survey favour the Bypass.

Ronan Lee Highlights Flawed Plan

In two articles published by Brisbane Times, Ronan Lee, the Member for Indooroopilly and parliamentary secretary for Main Roads highlights the problem of putting another arterial road onto the stressed Western Freeway and suggests that City Cat and Rail access are other options to reducing traffic.
MP Slams Western Link Plan
Send CityCats to Western Suburbs: MP

(continued »)

Respond to the Main Roads newsletter

In your mailbox today or yesterday there should be a newsletter from Main Roads titled “Kenmore Bypass Planning Study”. This newsletter asks for your input on the Bypass, which is Stage One of the larger Moggill Pocket Sub Arterial.

Our reply to this survey is very important! It was due to a similar survey coming out 51% in favour of the Bypass that helped decide Main Roads to go to this next dangerous stage. Let’s not let that happen again– let’s get a majority on our side this time. Please reply to the survey and urge everyone else to do the same.

If you do not find the newsletter, go to our action page and follow the directions there to print out the Main Roads newsletter and mail it in.

If all else fails, contact us and ask that a printout of the newsletter be mailed to you.

The newsletter says that we have only until 26 May to send our responses, so please act now.

Presentation to the Minister

Posting this on behalf of Penny: There was a presentation to the Minister for Main Roads today. Here is a summary and a link to the presentation. (continued »)

Have your say at Bruce Flegg’s survey

Bruce Flegg’s biased mail-in survey has an online counterpart. Please have your say. I hope you register your opposition.

(Added 29 April 2008: I have added a page analysing this survey, showing you just what Bruce Flegg sent. Also, unprompted, I have corrected Dr. Flegg’s title, with my apologies.)

Brisbane Times article

The Brisbane Times published an article on the “Kenmore Bypass” (the Moggill Pocket Sub Arterial Stage One) which should fire you up. As we describe on our action page, this Stage One is the thin edge of the wedge, after which the entire devastating arterial can be more easily built. This does not mention the better, faster, less expensive alternatives presented to the Minister by our group.