Telegraph Road upgrade works cause pain for club

THE Telegraph Road corridor upgrade may deliver significant benefits once completed at the end of the year, but in the meantime it’s delivering significant pain to a local business.

Trees along Depot Rd were removed during Stage 2 of the Telegraph Road corridor upgrade. Picture: Renee McKeown

THE Telegraph Road corridor upgrade may deliver significant benefits once completed at the end of the year, but in the meantime it’s delivering significant pain to a local business.

Sandgate Hawks Sporting Club on Lemke Rd is blaming the roadworks for a 65 per cent drop in trade from last year.

Roadworks have been almost constant along Telegraph Rd since 2013 when construction started on the Open Level Crossing Replacement Project.

This was followed by a revamp of the Telegraph Rd/Norris Rd intersection and an extension of Norris Rd through to Fitzgibbon, and then Stages 1A, 1B and now 2 of the Telegraph Road corridor upgrade.

Hawks general manager Brett Johnston said people don’t like coming to the club due to the roadworks.

“We’ve really suffered from the impact of the roadworks for about six to eight months, probably longer,” he said.

“Some of the regulars go down the road to Bracken Ridge or Taigum because they say it’s hard to get in and out of our club.

“We’re hoping they will return and give the club another try once the work is finished.”

AUGUST 2017: Mayor Graham Quirk, Cr Amanda Cooper (Bracken Ridge) and Member for Petrie Luke Howarth met at the corner of Telegraph Rd and Mustang St to switch on the newly installed traffic lights at the completion of stage 1B of the Telegraph Road corridor upgrade. Picture: Jacqueline Henry

About five years ago businesses in Bracken Ridge Plaza on the corner of Telegraph and Norris Rds were surrounded by roadworks.

Bracken Ridge McDonald’s owner Rod Chiapello acknowledged the roadworks had impacted his business and others in the centre but said “the future gain for the community will be amazing”.

“Four to five years of construction along Telegraph Rd has certainly been draining on business and on the community,” he said.

“But I believe these roadworks are necessary and these extensions are obviously required for a growing suburb, for the people who live here and for those who pass through.

“There will be huge benefits in terms of traffic, traffic flow and flood mitigation.”

Mr Chiapello also praised Council for its “exemplary level of communication and commitment during the long and difficult period”.

The preliminary design for stage 2 of the Telegraph Road corridor upgrade.

Chairman for Infrastructure Cr Amanda Cooper said Council was committed to keeping Brisbane moving “and makes every effort to minimise impacts on local residents and businesses during road upgrades”.

“While there may be some temporary impacts on local businesses during road works, the Telegraph Road corridor upgrade, once complete, will make it even safer and easier for people to access the Sandgate Hawks Sporting Club,” she said.

Cr Cooper said the $260 million Telegraph Rd corridor upgrade would “deliver significant safety benefits as well as up to 75 per cent travel time savings to future proof the road network for future generations”.

“Telegraph Rd is used by 25,000 vehicles every day, with up to 41,500 vehicles expected to travel along this corridor once the Gateway North and Linkfield Rd upgrades are complete,” she said.

ROADWORKS

- $82m Telegraph Road Open Level Crossing Replacement Project: 2013-14

- Telegraph Road corridor upgrade Stage 1A: between the Open Level Crossing project and Norris Rd - completed September 2014

- Norris Rd extension: $3.5m link between Telegraph and Roghan Rds - opened July 2015

- Stage 1B: from east of Norris Rd to Mustang St - late 2016 to August 2017

- Stage 2: from Mustang St to the Deagon Deviation - mid 2017 to late 2018