West End intersection under construction for 12 months drives retailers around the bend

A $10.4 million upgrade of a hairy West End intersection that has been in the works for three years has left seething as potential customers avoid navigating around the worksite.

It’s the “over-engineered” set of traffic lights driving local retailers mad. Three years since West End locals rallied for lights at a dangerous intersection and about 12 months since works first started, the project is still a construction site.

Delays in the $10.4m upgrade of the intersection, at the corner of Montague Rd and Victoria St have retailers seething as potential customers navigate around the worksite.

Nearby business owners had originally welcomed the works at the “dangerous” intersection but delays dragging the project well into 2021 and trade restrictions forced by COVID lockdowns have exacerbated their woes.

Workers carry out an upgrade at the Montague Rd intersection in September 2020 before the works moved over near Pie Town. Photo: Google Images

Construction recently moved to Pie Town’s side of the road and owner Susie Yang said progress “was looking pretty grim”.

“It’s really frustrating,” Ms Yang said.

“The biggest issue is that parking in West End is already really competitive and tight.

Ms Yang said a detour directed customers around the side of her store but the upgrades had made the intersection even harder to navigate and she believed sitting in subsequent traffic had deterred customers.

“We need the lights there. I just never thought it would take this long,” she said.

Anytime Fitness and Fitbox Cafe owner Glenda Geeves said her team was trying to remain positive about the benefits the upgrade would bring.

Anytime Fitness and Fitbox Cafe owner Glenda Geeves says delays in the upgrade of a notorious West End intersection on Montague Rd have impacted trade. PICTURE: Brad Fleet

But they had grown concerned about the impact prolonged construction was having.

“It has really affected the flow of customers passing our doors and at one point, people couldn’t even cross the road to get to us,” Mrs Geeves said.

“Sitting at a cafe listening to a jackhammer doesn’t make for a nice lunch.

“They have to get on with it.”

Greens councillor Jonathan Sri said West End residents spent years petitioning council to provide a safer crossing for pedestrians.

“It’s disappointing that the community had to fight as hard as they did for basic improvements,” he said.

“I think there’s also an argument to be made that the entire project was over engineered and could have been much more simple.”

Brisbane City Council Infrastructure Chair David McLachlan said the intersection upgrade had been designed based on the feedback from about 4800 residents and would ensure a safer intersection for all road users with new traffic signals, on-road cycle lanes and new pedestrian crossings.

“This project is expected to be delivered on budget,” he said.

The project was meant to be completed by March but was now expected closer to June.

He said wet weather in December 2020 and early 2021 caused minor impacts to the project’s delivery.

Greens councillor Jonathan Sri leads a blockade at the corner of Montague Road and Victoria Street, West End, highlighting the need for traffic lights at the intersection and more pedestrian safety in the area. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

Cr Sri believed there were also flaws with an intersection at the new Woolworths further down Montague Rd.

He said he would like to see better planning in the future.