John Craig wrote this analysis of the Kenmore Bypass:
I was fascinated to learn from your recent circular of the debate in state Parliament on 10 February 2009 about whether the route of the (so called) Kenmore Bypass had been preserved.
What Sort of Route was Preserved?
Dr Bruce Flegg said that this was a pre-existing transport corridor which the community should have the right to use. Mr Ronan Lee pointed out that the land that had actually been preserved was only a fraction of that required for the project that now seemed to be envisaged. And the Deputy Premier (Hon Mr Paul Lucas) noted that the route had been marked on a map - so that people should have understood that a bypass was planned.
What a shambles. Though the route may not always have been marked on maps (as your circular noted), it is a fact that a 30m-wide route was preserved in the 1960s for a sub-arterial feeder route. Nearby residents should have no reasonable grounds for complaints if such a local road (something like 17 Mile Rocks Road) were developed within the bounds of the land then acquired by Main Roads Department.
The Bigger Picture?
However it is equally clear that someone in the state government now secretly envisages something much grander - ie a major arterial road that would be part of SE Queensland’s future freeway system. Joining at the western end of the ‘Kenmore Bypass’ is the preserved route for the Moggill Pocket Arterial which would bring Warrego Highway traffic through the Western Suburbs and onto the Centenary Highway / Western Freeway - an existing arterial that, to cope with Warrego Highway traffic and major urban growth to Brisbane’s south west, would have to be be upgraded to (say) 8 lanes and extended north from Toowong (perhaps along Route 20) as the main Brisbane-west bypass route.
The Western Brisbane Transport Network Investigation gave the game away by initially presenting a diagram showing traffic demand in its study area. This revealed a large flow from the west and north circling around the Brisbane Forest Park (ie through the Western Suburbs and along the Western Freeway). The diagram was quickly removed from the WBTNI’s web-site as it showed clearly the case for a bypass route to the west of suburban Brisbane, which the state government wanted to rule out on the grounds of a ‘lack of demand’ and incompatibility with the urban footprint established by its regional plan.
A Planning Shambles
The shambles continues in that the planning process for the ‘Kenmore Bypass’ has not revealed anything about this bigger picture in order to get community support by pretending that it just involves a local traffic congestion issue. However by doing this the planners failed: (a) to study problems with the ‘Bypass’ in its regional context; or (b) to work out that the secret ‘bigger picture’ that this link is supposed to be part of does not make any sense.
The whole ‘lets build freeways everywhere’ approach to solving the transport challenge resulting from SE Queensland’s rapid growth is also a ‘lemon’, because: (a) the adoption of an urban footprint under the regional plan prevents the urban sprawl which is vital to getting cheap rights of way for freeways; and (b) rapidly rising oil / petrol prices (which must resume following the current recession and the global peak oil event) had since about 2003 apparently started reducing motor vehicle usage in Brisbane (in terms of total vehicle km travelled) - presumably as citizens shift to favour public transport (op cit).
Quality Government?
Your recent circular suggested that citizens have a RIGHT to decent political representation - and implied that this is currently not available. I disagree. Citizens get the quality of political representation and government that they are prepared to work for. And it is my experience over many years that Queenslanders are not prepared to put in the effort to support their political system - but expect that government will magically be a source of goodies. We currently get the poor quality of government that we deserve.
Regards
John Craig
22 Comments to “A contributor’s analysis”
Clean Up Australia Day Thankyou from Julie Hagans
What a great effort on such a hot day. Thankyou to the 31 people who volunteered to clean up our beautiful Atkinson & Kingfisher Parks.
Thankyou to Philip Machanick The Greens candidate for Moggill and thankyou to Barry Searle an independent candidate for Moggill for the upcoming state election who came along today to help out. Great to see these candidates participating in our community and listening to us and our concerns.
This is a community who loves their suburb and is proud to be taking care of it. It was great to also be able to show some of our volunteers the recent koala markings on the grey gum trees, there are many more now at the top of Atkinson Park on Kenmore Road.
We all enjoyed a nice cold drink, snack and chat together after the walk. We then released 2 small Striped Marsh Frogs that we had raised from tadpoles into Atkinson Creek, all the children were excited to see them swim off into the reads.
Of course we all hope that the state government will see sense and choose to preserve this beautiful environment for us,our childrena and future generation. This is a valuable community space and a place of relaxation and quietness I believe it is an integral link for the wildlife and part of the stunning habitat that Brisbane is famous for.
I hope to see you back for next years clean up.
Joan
Thank you Julie. It was so organised thanks to you. The kids were all happy and interested in all the activities. They were the cutest little frogs. We did collect so much rubbish - we got a dirty old shirt! I met people I had never met before which was great. So, thank you for all your time and effort. Next, the habitat group and weeds.
Jackie
Katie I share your concerns about a bridge at Moggill, I think a bridge at the ferry leaves Moggill rd open slather for sure.
A bridge at Mooggil across the river to Wacol and government land gives the people west of Kenmore an opportunity to catch rail and access Logan motoeway east to Gold Coasr and quicker trips into Ipswich. Many people that live at Moggill and Bellbowrie work in Ipswich and is also the closest hospital.
Personally I would like to see the preserved corridor used for active transport walking and cycling to then preserve the koalas, trees, birds, frogs and many homes that are set for resumption Many more will be severely affected by polution, noise and the whole suburb will lose a magnificent green space.
Dedicated transit lanes for buses only on Moggill rd from Pulllenvale rd into town and free public transport during peak hour. Park and ride facility at Pullenvale rd as well as others furhter our.
Or what many cities are doing now is tram. Tram would mean that car can’t use this lane at all. This should be a huge inducement to leave the car at home. Don’t forget that petrol prices will eventually go up again. Edinburgh are doing this at the moment, why can’t it be done here.
Finally ‘that Kenmore roundabout’ is an absolute shambles and must be fixed. It’s a joke and nobody has the balls to fix it. Shame on all the polies that have gone before and cureently for not having the intellect or will to fix it.
What do you think Katie?
Christie
Thankyou Philip for highlighting that these are alternatives. John Craig as mentioned above talks about the type of representation we deserve. In some ways he is correct, Australians in general just want to be spoon fed and there are probebly many reasons for this. We are very laid back, we are busy trying to place food on the table and earn a living. We are used to having decisions made for us.
This is not going to help us in the future with global warming and climate change. We have to become part of the decision making process. Here in
Kenmore we have a system that is obviously biased towards building another major road, 4 lane high volume. So many just say bring it on. But the consequences are dire for this community. If you like the thin edge of the wedge, if the Kenmore Bypass goes in it represents catastrophe for all.
We have the opportunity to engage as a united community to say this is not good for us locally. It is terrible waste of money that will impact future generations. Loss of a large chunck of biodiversity and so on. Things that all sides of politics know about but not all willing to address.
We live in a fairly affluent society and high overall fairly good intellect and many that live in the western suburbs are well educated. What does that say for our ability to discern the current climate change info and not to be able to adapt that for long term benefit and survival. If we can make such a blunder with the Kenmore Bypass then imagine what is going on in the rest of Australia and the world for that matter.
It’s actually very scary to know that we are not able to work cohesively for the betterment of all. I am including our current elected representatives.
Philip this debate is important and I feel it has taken this crisis with in our community to wake people up.
We can as a community do much better. The people who are criticizing need to get into this debate so we come with up the best solutions economically, socially and environmentally for all in the Western Suburbs.
We have a great opportunity to show the rest of Brisbane what can be done if we get off our butts and get involved.
Katie
Jackie, I think that if the Kenmore roundabout and the Intersection of Kenmore and Moggill Roads was fixed, then that in itself would solve the biggest part of the problem. For the past three years, roadworks on Moggill Road has made getting in and out of the city a nightmare. But since the works have been finished, traffic flows reasonably smoothly now, even in the mornings.
There is a train station at Indooroopilly and existing bus services every ten minutes that begin at Moggill. I would like to see better bus services in the outer areas though, as these are almost non existent. More Park and Rides need to be built and public transport improved, but I think that to use up a lane of Moggill Road for a tram line or bus only line would just cause the old traffic jam on Moggill Road to return again and would encourage even further the governments plan to build the freeway.
Philip Machanick
Whatever your views, do the survey at http://tinyurl.com/KenmoreSurvey (this is a short cut to the right place on the campaign site).
mark defina
IS ANYBODY OUT THERE ?????????
Matthew
Hi Mark. I’m the admin here and approve the comments so I saw your cry out.
People don’t check here as often as when the planning stage was done, but I’m sure things will heat up again when the budget priorities are published. Come on back once in a while, and especially when there is new Bypass news.
mark defina
Thank you Matthew - do you have an idea when the budget priorities will published?
Do we have any chance to voice our opinion prior to this or is it just part of an ongrinding mechanism of government to which we have no imput?
Matthew
Sorry Mark, not sure. But I don’t think anyone knows for sure…
anon77
im not sure when the budget is released. i would hope it would be too expensive to build. although in recessions, i think the govt likes to “invest” in infrastructure projects to give ppl jobs.
its so frustrating to hear the govt talk about boosting public transport, reducing car dependancy etc - yet still plan to build freeways!
kenmore and beyond will suffer in the future, particularly with no rail and no busway. the preserved corridor would be better used for a public transfport corridor. not a toll road.
mark defina
flegg got caught out ha ha
Donetta
I’m living in Mumbai at the moment (usually live in Kenmore), and they have much worse traffic here than in Brisbane. One thing that they got started to control it around the schools was a school bus service, and it really does help affected areas.
The system is simple enough - your child must catch the bus unless they have a special reason why they cannot; the bus routes are designed centrally for traffic menagement, but are flexible, so door-to-door service can be negotiated, within reason; and for security, a bus pass system is in place, where passes are given to both the child and to the adult who collects the child at the busstop, and these are checked by school attendents on the buses (my child is five, so is always collected by an adult at the stop and not allowed to walk home by themselves). This has cut traffic around the school dramatically.
Has anyone considered this sort of system for Kenmore Primary to reduce traffic there in the mornings and afternoons? Trust me, if it can work in Mumbai with the traffic conditions here, it can work in Kenmore!
anon77
last year, the question of local school buses was asked to Margaret De Wit (local BCC councillor) and she quickly said something like ‘it’s too expensive’.
i doubt any real study has been undertaken though. I think it is a great idea! there is no kenmore traffic congestion during school holidays.
it is so very frustrating when good suggestions are put forward but quickly dismissed.
Julie
Great letter in the Westside News this week by Craig Phasey about the Kenmore Bypass. Go and have a read.
mark defina
Thank God!!!! Finally an answer in May. Good but not great! Interestingly Flegg wants the properties adjacent to the Goodna Bypass to be resumed (as per the Westside News) because as he says the properties will be worthless unless they are resumed. No mention of how the properties affected by the Kenmore Bypass will devalue!!!!! Perhaps this is because his properties will be affected by the Goodna Bypass!!!! Its time we voiced our opinions via the media etc to let everyone know the Kenmore Bypass is a NO GO and we should band together NOW before its too late!!!!!!
Pete
I think it is already too late….the Qld Govt seems to be on a mission to “be seen” to be getting things done….
Donetta
And I support them in getting things done - if they could please do something that would actually help, like fixing the roundabout, better access to public transport etc. The Bypass seems like a really expensive way of NOT getting things done!
Grant
Bruce Flegg claims the Bypass will fix traffic at Chapel Hill. Pity even the Government’s ownd study says that the Bypass won’t solve problems east of Marshall Lane, and that Moggill Road will have to be expanded in that section, even if the Bypass were to be built. Indeed, almost all the “savings” in trip time are based upon shortening the trip for those heading southward, because the bypass exit is south of the current exit (begs the question of why you don’t build a bridge to the south?)
Flegg could always support another LNP plan (difficult for Bruce to support his own constituents, let alone his colleagues I know). Lord Mayor Newmans $1.7 Billion investment in Northern Link is predicated on it reducing traffic on the Chapel Hill section of Moggill Road, because people stop taking the offramp at Chapel Hill and getting on to Moggill Road to avoid the congested Western freeway.
anon77
as the bypass only saves about 6 mins on a driving trip to the city in peak time eg pretty useless - what is the real purpose of the bypass?
perhaps it is ferrying quarry trucks (est 1400/day) from kholo quarry to the port of brisbane?
http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/docs/library/pdf/ilp_kholo_recentdev_map2_nov05.pdf
Grant
Sorry Anon 77, 6 minutes is almost double the predicted saving for the trip in to the city. From the Main Roads Traffic Needs Assessment ”
AM inbound and PM outbound travel time on Moggill Road would improve by an
average of 25% for all bypass scenarios (or an average of 3.3 minutes).”
this is 3 minutes we are talking about, in 2026 trip times.
That modelling did not include building Northern Link, so if the Council business case is right, those savings are likely to be (significantly) less than modelled because the purpose of Northern Link is to get traffic off of Moggill Road/Coronation Drive.
Almost all of the congestion is east of Marshall Lane
anon77
yes a lot of the congestion is east of marshall lane. i often see cars queueing on the Centenary Hwy shoulder and off-ramp to get on to Moggill Rd (down near Alkira Village construction site). the kenmore bypass won’t fix this - it will make this problem worse.