BRISBANE» MASS TRANSIT - Thread

[SoulVision]

Article from todays CM...


CBD footpath gridlock fears
Article from: The Courier-Mail |link

John McCarthy
November 19, 2007 11:00pm

FIRST it was choked roads, now Brisbane faces the prospect of another 50,000 people cramming into the CBD in the next 20 years, according to Brisbane City Council.

Footpath rage is likely to be the next phenomenon to hit the city unless the council's plan to go through buildings rather than around them goes ahead.

But while the contracts for the $63 million Tank Street pedestrian bridge to connect with the Gallery of Modern Art (known as Roma to GOMA) have been let, the highly publicised council scheme for a pedestrian bridge from Adelaide St to the Cultural Centre, which would alleviate congestion on the Victoria St Bridge has been scrapped.

However, a scheme to develop an underground rail loop in the CBD is gathering strong support with Premier Anna Bligh's suggestion of a station at Gardens Point and extending across the river to the Gabba getting endorsement from both sides of council and town planners.

Both Liberal and Labor also support turning Brisbane slightly Melbourne-ish by opening up buildings to allow for more arcades as well as developing laneways into small retail outlets.

But Griffith University's Professor Brendan Gleeson has urged the Government to not settle for half-measures, because history showed that things such as underground railways lost political will if they were done in stages.

He said a levy on business could help pay for it but the bulk would come from three levels of government.

Professor Gleeson also said the city would need four to six underground train stations.

Deputy Lord Mayor David Hinchliffe said Brisbane could expect big changes in the CBD with the possibility of 70-storey office towers rising on the skyline.

"There's already 75,000 office workers and we can see an expected 50,000 more, so we need to provide more access-ways and more arcades," he said.

"We can do it by creating footpaths through buildings to create the laneways of Melbourne, but with a Queensland version of them."

The Liberals' planning spokeswoman Amanda Cooper said she would like to see a second CBD rail station at Eagle St as well as more "public realm".

The State Government also is proposing light rail for the CBD and wrestling with public opposition to its North Bank plan. A planned light-rail network would link South Brisbane to New Farm and possibly Bowen Hills.

[bne123]

i was laughing at that article when i read it
gridlock problems for pedestrians
i just love brisbane
i remember when i first came here around 10, brisbane was still a very quiet city
and now, nearly going to uni., the city changed a lot with me

[muntted]

Heidewitzka from SSC posted an idea on an infinty (sideways 8) style subway loops.
I took up the idea and made a map of a possible routing scheme

Both lines would be dual tracked for trains in each direction and they link up with: SEBusway NBusway Ipswich Line, Southside Lines and Northern Lines. It also has a stop at Suncorp that operates only on game days.
By loops I dont actually mean that one set of trains just loop the west wing and the other set loop the east wing. Rather they complete one wing then go on to complete the other.

Google Maps

[sch]

Originally Posted by muntted

Heidewitzka from SSC posted an idea on an infinty (sideways 8) style subway loops.
I took up the idea and made a map of a possible routing scheme

Both lines would be dual tracked for trains in each direction and they link up with: SEBusway NBusway Ipswich Line, Southside Lines and Northern Lines. It also has a stop at Suncorp that operates only on game days.
By loops I dont actually mean that one set of trains just loop the west wing and the other set loop the east wing. Rather they complete one wing then go on to complete the other.

Google Maps

awesome idea, but do you think that a subway system will ever be economically viable in Brisbane? I wish it was, but just can't see it ever getting legs...

[bne123]

arr i always loved subways
if only the transport people have a good look at this idea
i reckon this is perfect
its a great start for the ever-expanding underground