New Indooroopilly bikeway to cost $73k per metre

Just 100m of this new 790m bikeway in one of Brisbane’s up-market suburbs would fund a new library and 10m would buy a council bus. Should council approve it?

BRISBANE’S latest bikeway could end up costing more than $73,000 per metre, enough to build an entire suburban footpath, furious Opposition councillors say.

Just 10m of the bikeway would buy a council bus, and 100m a new state-of-the-art library, they claim.

Councillors will be asked at today’s meeting to vote on whether to allocate a total of $58 million to the first two stages of the Indooroopilly bikeway, even though the project is only 790m long.

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The recent council Budget mentioned only a $3.745 million allocation for this financial year.

But the LNP administration has asked councillors to today approve an extra $34 million next financial year and a further $20 million in 2021-22.

That is twice the price tag of the 4km Bicentennial Bikeway along the Toowong/Milton reach of the Brisbane River, and more than the $45 million for the State Government’s 17km “Veloway’’ bikeway from Tarragindi to the CBD, currently under construction.

Councillor Nicole Johnston (Tennyson) said she was “really shocked’’.

“The council papers don’t even have any cycling numbers now, or projected,’’ she said.

Cr Johnston said she had previously only seen a combined total costing for the first two stages, of about $7 million, despite her requests earlier this year for detailed figures.

Cr Nicole Johnston. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

She queried whether council had the necessary State Government approvals for the first two stages, which traverse the river and go under a rail bridge.

She also queried whether all geotechnical investigations had been done and said to her knowledge only preliminary testing had been carried out.

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Labor’s transport spokesman, Jared Cassidy, slammed the spend as “staggering” and said it was no surprise the LNP council would oversee “such an enormous blow out in a simple bikeway project”.

“The cost to build 1m metre of this new bikeway could fund an entire footpath out in the suburbs,’’ he said.

“Just 10m could buy a brand new bus and driver.

“And 100m of this bikeway would build a new state-of-the-art library.’’

A council spokeswoman said the Indooroopilly Riverwalk was part of its plan to deliver a safer route for cyclists and connect the western and southwestern suburbs to the University of Queensland via the Western Freeway Bikeway.

“The Indooroopilly Bikeway will deliver a popular active travel route and a safer alternative to the current Radnor St route and involves complex marine-based construction,’’ she said.

“Council will soon go out to tender to find a suitable contractor to build this game-changing riverwalk. Construction will begin in early 2020.’’

Councillor Jared Cassidy.

State Greens MP for the Indooroopilly area, Michael Berkman, posted on social media that although he supported the project, the cost was huge due to the narrow, steep and windy roads.

He said there needed to be a “conversation’’ about whether some road lanes should be converted to bikeways for future stages, which were planned to eventually connect the project to the University of Queensland.

Mr Berkman suggested removing street parking or a lane of car traffic on Sir Fred Schonell Drive in St Lucia as something the community could discuss.

“The State Government and Council should be planning for the future with ambitious, transformative targets to increase the mode share of both public and active transport.’’ he said.

However Cr James Mackay (Walter Taylor) said such suggestions risked traffic chaos.

“Random thought bubbles like this are a recipe for the chaos that you see from parties and politicians who are completely out of touch with the local community,’’ he said.

“Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s plan for a network of green bridges will ease congestion and get you home quicker and safer.

“You shouldn’t be forced to ride a bike if you don’t want to.’’

A Council spokeswoman said any on-road solutions could have significant impacts on the local traffic network, while a riverwalk solution was the most direct, safe and accessible outcome.