Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery proposes Bruce Hwy upgrade alternative to save 90 homes from resumption

A lifeline has been proposed to save 90 homes in the path of the Bruce Hwy upgrade from resumption, but the state government is likely to reject it.

James and Charmaine Jackson’s new home could be resumed to make way for the Bruce Hwy upgrade. Picture Lachie Millard

Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery says dozen of homes could be saved from Bruce Highway resumption if the state government reconsiders an alternative ”congestion-busting” road.

Cr Flannery urged the state government to reconsider the Moreton Connector – an arterial road from Dohles Rocks Rd to Anzac Ave – which he says is a “solution”.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads said while the connector had benefits it would not delay the need for the Bruce Highway to be upgraded to meet population demands.

Cr Flannery this week met with department officials days after the news broke that nearly 100 properties could be removed to make way for the highway upgrades.

Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery.

Two dozen property owners in a new estate in Griffin were among about 90 to receive letters or emails informing them their homes were at risk of demolition early last week.

“My preferred road option here remains the “Moreton Connector” which would not require the resumption of these brand new homes, and would instead create a new road along existing road reserve,” Cr Flannery said.

“It can solve a lot of the problems. It’s been earmarked for 30 years, the corridor is there and protected, people who back onto it have known when they bought those properties that it’s a future road reserve. There’s no surprises there and I want them to reconsider it.”

Cr Flannery said resumption would come at an “enormous” cost and said it included 30-40 properties on either side of the highway at Griffin and Murrumba Downs.

Preliminary design of the Moreton Connector between Murrumba Downs and Mango Hill.

A department spokeswoman said while the Moreton Connector would help local traffic, it would not provide the benefits required for highway traffic.

“Traffic modelling indicates the connector will not delay the need to upgrade the Bruce Highway (Dohles Rocks Rd to Anzac Ave) as it only provides a negligible reduction in highway traffic when in place,” the spokeswoman said.

“The planning has recommended the Moreton Connector not progress to design and construction at this stage but be preserved for a future potential use.”

Cr Flannery said he had tasked engineers and planners to investigate the Connector further.

After being shown the plans for the upgrade, Cr Flannery said he was shocked to see 30-40 properties on each side of the highway earmarked for resumption.

“Not only does it include brand new homes on the eastern side of the Bruce Highway up near at Anzac Ave, some are still being built,” Cr Flannery said.

“It also includes established homes on the western side at Murrumba Downs.

“It’s probably the worst case scenario you could think of, both of them needing to go for this upgrade. It’s just devastating.”

The spokeswoman said an eight lane highway and proposed future roads had been determined as the best way to manage increasing traffic volumes and achieve an integrated solution with the planned upgrades to the north and south.

“We are committed to reducing impacts to surrounding property as much as possible, however some impacts are unavoidable due to the constrained nature of the existing road corridors within the project area,” she said.