Brisbane toll roads: Legacy Way first

THIS must be Brisbane residents’ favourite toll to pay, with new figures revealing the first of the city’s tunnels to exceed minimum traffic flow projections.

MORE cars are driving through the $1.5 billion Legacy Way tunnel, despite an increase in the toll in November.

Figures released today by owner Transurban show about 20,000 vehicles a day were using the 4.6km tunnel, up from 18,000 a day in the September quarter.

It was the first of Brisbane’s tunnels to exceed minimum traffic flow projections.

The 3.9 per cent increase for the December quarter comes despite the toll increasing from $3 to $3.90 in mid-November.

Initial predictions suggested the tunnel would get at least 16,700 trips taken each day, though Brisbane City Council had a less conservative prediction of 24,000 trips per day.

The Clem7 tunnel last year had about 25,000 motorists using it each day, well down on the forecast 80,000; while the Airport Link had about 50,000 users each day, instead of the predicted 190,000.

But Legacy Way is still in its discounted period and will reach its full toll price of $4.85 in May.