State Government backs East Petrie bypass not Moreton Bay Regional Council’s preferred Option G route for a West Petrie Bypass

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a major new bypass in north Brisbane have been rocked by a study which backed a different route.

Whiteside resident Joe Riesinger isn't happy with the Council's plans for the area. Council workers kept taking down his roadside signs so Joe has erected two signs in his yard. Photo Paul Guy.

THE controversial Option G route for a west Petrie bypass appears to have been scuttled by the State Government.

State LNP MP for Kallangur Trevor Ruthenberg said a study, which included Moreton Bay Regional Council’s plan for Option G, instead backed a bypass east of Petrie.

“The Department of Transport and Main Roads has completed a planning study (which) included a review of Moreton Bay Regional Council’s business case for (Option G of) the proposed West Petrie Bypass,” Mr Ruthenberg said.

“The review found that a bypass to the east of Petrie would provide more benefits (because of) significantly higher benefit/cost ratio, superior land use and community benefits (and) less severe environmental impacts.

“There are benefits and a need for the West Petrie bypass and forward planning should allow for an improved West Petrie bypass link.

“However, I believe that any funding for road network improvements in the area should be focused on the bypass to the east of Petrie.”

Moreton Bay Regional Councillor Mick Gillam (Div8) did not concede Option G was finished, but said he did not expect to see it in his lifetime.

Cr Gillam also said there would be no bridge over Young’s Crossing without Option G despite a 2012 Council commissioned study which proposed a $16 million bridge.

“Nothing happens to Youngs Crossing until council gets support from the State and Federal Governments for Option G,” Cr Gillam said.

Option G critic Rod Ridley said the State Government statement meant the end of Option G for at least 20 years.

“Now they are not getting Option G, council needs to urgently improve Youngs Crossing to relieve the flooding issues of water release from North Pine Dam and to improve the alignment,” Mr Ridley said.

A Transport and Main Roads (TMR) spokesperson said” “TMR has not distributed the West Petrie Corridor study because it has not been endorsed yet.

“Given the study is used for internal purposes, the study would not usually be distributed.”