Future Brisbane: Lord Mayor says Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel a priority

Brisbane urgently needs to fill the gaps in its road and transport network – and one area is becoming critical, writes Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner.

As Australia’s fastest growing capital city, Brisbane urgently needs to fill the gaps in our road and transport network.

Brisbane’s northside has one the most critical and obvious missing links.

Gympie Road is quickly becoming a basket case and tinkering around the edges with minor improvements simply won’t cut it.

The Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel must be at the top of the priority list. Connecting with Airport Link at Kedron, the 7 km tunnel would go under Chermside and emerge at Carseldine, bypassing 19 sets of traffic lights along the way.

Future Brisbane: Transurban boss says we should not settle for congestion nightmare

Future Brisbane: River City’s liveability trailing behind all mainland capitals despite looming 2032 Games

Future Brisbane: The night-life revolution this city needs

The tunnel was a key proposal in our Council’s North West Transport Network study last year.

I’m pleased Northern Brisbane Infrastructure, a company established by Queensland Investment Corporation, is now undertaking a detailed assessment.

One thing is certain - Brisbane cannot afford for this to be just another study.

Without this tunnel, the road and transport network in Brisbane’s north will become dysfunctional.

Many Gympie Road commuters would argue that’s happened already.

The consequences of not building this tunnel are dire.

The cost of annual congestion and public transport crowding in Brisbane’s north will increase from $312m in 2021 to $859 million by 2041, without significant intervention.

An extra 222,000 morning peak motor vehicle trips through Brisbane’s north will occur every day by 2041.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner

Congestion on key roads will worsen, with travel times on Gympie Rd expected to blow out by 47 per cent, South Pine Rd by 50 per cent, the northern end of the Gateway Motorway by 69 per cent and Gympie Arterial Rd by 78 per cent.

Importantly, the Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel isn’t just about Brisbane. It’s a project of regional importance.

By 2041, there will be an additional 266,000 daily trips into Brisbane from the fast-growing areas of Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay and there will be demand for an extra 3.3 million bus and train passenger kilometres each day.

These figures demonstrate the Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel is a no-brainer. Brisbane’s northern suburbs would reap enormous benefits from this tunnel.

Between 59,900 and 102,600 vehicles a day will use the tunnel by 2041. It would mean Gympie Road may become a local road again, like it’s supposed to be.

Building the tunnel would open the door to proper mass rapid transit along Gympie Rd, allowing our fully-electric, turn-up-and-go Brisbane Metro to service the city’s north.

In fact, the tunnel and a busway should be delivered in a package deal, just like happened with Airport Link and the Inner Northern Busway.

Some might argue that the State Government’s preserved North West Transport Corridor would be a better option.

However, our study recognised that this bushland corridor is ecologically important and it would be environmental vandalism to develop it for a motorway or heavy rail.

An underground connection through Brisbane’s north is the missing link in our city’s movement network.

Sydney and Melbourne are going underground with big road and rail projects and Brisbane needs to do the same.

Let’s make this tunnel happen, not just for the benefit of northsiders, but for South East Queensland’s connectivity.