BETTER BIKEWAYS FOR BRISBANE
27 Mar 2018
The Woolloongabba Bikeway project has hit a new milestone with design concepts being released to the community for public feedback. The $11 million project aims to make cycling safer and easier in Brisbane.
Based on the initial plans, 1.1km of Stanley Street and 1.4km of Annerley Road will be provided with dedicated bike lanes. Part of the plan is to remove the existing pedestrian crossing on Annerley Road, located about 150m south of the Stanley Street and Annerley Road intersection, replacing it with a signalised crossing at the corner of the intersection.
The design also involves changing the number of intersections on Annerley Road and Stanley Street to improve traffic flow. Bus stops will also be reconfigured to minimise conflicts between cyclists and buses.
Speaking last week at the Brisbane Bicycle Film Festival, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey announced a multi-million-dollar facelift to improve Brisbane’s cycling infrastructure.
Bailey said that a tender to develop a major cycling maintenance and rehabilitation program has been awarded to HDR, with consultation now underway.
“Once the program is developed, we have allocated $6.91 million to carry out works between 2017-18 and 2020-21 ensuring a safer, more comfortable ride for everyday users.”
Bailey said rehabilitation of the bikeways supported the Queensland Cycling Action Plan 2017-2019, which was heavily influenced by community feedback.
The Woolloongabba project aims to make roads safer for cyclists and encourage more people to use bikes instead of cars as part of council’s plan to create new lifestyle and leisure opportunities through active travel options.
The initiative is part of the council’s Better Bikeways for Brisbane program, which is being funded through a $100-million investment.
Motivations for new and easier cycling options come as a result of growing population figures and the accompanying number of cars on the road, as Queensland's population is projected to reach the five million milestone in May, according to the latest population figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.