RACQ says Darra to Toowong tunnel needs to connect to Brisbane northside

The RACQ says a State Government proposal to build a tunnel to fix traffic woes on the choked Centenary Mwy in Brisbane’s southwest may have a fatal flaw.

The proposed tunnel would alleviate traffic on the Centenary Motorway.

The RACQ says a State Government proposal to build a tunnel to fix traffic woes on the choked Centenary Mwy in Brisbane’s southwest will not solve the problem unless it connects to the northside, bypassing the city.

The motoring group said unless that happened bottlenecks would simply be shifted further north to the Inner City Bypass.

On Sunday, Premier Steven Miles and Transport Minister Bart Mellish announced $10m had been set aside for a feasibility study into a congestion-busting tunnel linking Toowong to Darra, allowing motorists to avoid the notorious motorway.

The government, through the Queensland Investment Corporation, is already investigating a tolled tunnel linking Kedron to Carseldine.

The latest move to bypass the Centenary Mwy will be investigated by the same QIC architects looking into the $7b Gympie Rd tunnel.

Premier Steven Miles in Mount Ommaney to announce a vision for the future of the Centenary Mwy. Picture: John Gass

Mr Mellish said he expected the tunnel feasibility study to take a year.

If the option stacked up the government, if re-elected in October, would back it financially.

Whether or not the road should be a toll road would be part of the $10m planning exercise.

But a masterplan of the Centenary Mwy Corridor, meant to be out by the end of the year, would be pushed back while the government looked into the tunnel option.

RACQ General Manager of Advocacy Joshua Cooney said a study to explore upgrades or tunnel options for the motorway was urgently needed, but the government must think of the “big picture’’ and consider how a tunnel could provide an “orbital solution’’.

“In both morning and afternoon peak times the Centenary Mwy is congested in both directions, with traffic grinding to around 37km/h from 6am to 10am,” Mr Cooney said.

“We know current works to duplicate the Centenary Bridge is only part of the solution and we welcome the Government’s announcement to investigate a tunnel option.

“However, any study needs to look at what’s happening at the northern end of the route because there’s no point feeding traffic into (the CBD) or the Inner City Bypass.

“This would effectively mean spending billions of taxpayer dollars to shift the problem from one location to another and no one wants that outcome.

“This study needs to look at an orbital solution.

“We need to have an alternative route around the city, not through the city.

“That’s why the RACQ has been calling for a northwest bypass corridor that could possibly link up with the Gympie Rd Bypass once completed.

The Centenary Mwy Bridge duplication in Jindalee is expected to help traffic but the RACQ believes it is only part of the solution. Picture: Richard Walker

“We also need to look at these solutions as a network and a system of infrastructure that includes better public transport solutions for the western suburbs.”

Cycling groups said they were angry at Sunday’s announcement, particularly after being invited to participate in the Centenary Mwy Corridor Masterplan process.

“By putting all the eggs in the tunnel basket will there be any funding left to make the improvements we’ve been patiently waiting for on the Centenary Cycleway?’’ Brisbane West BUG (Bicycle Users Group) posted.

“We’ll be disappointed if all the feedback we as a community put into the masterplan consultation is thrown away to build yet another toll tunnel that will have no benefit for local walking and cycling connections.

“Brisbane’s congestion problem is due to the fact 75-80 per cent of all trips people take are by car.

Three tunnels/surface upgrades under consideration.

“As out population grows, it doesn’t matter how many tunnels, traffic lanes and bypasses you add.

“Making it easier for local residents to swap short trips by car to use a bike, e-scooter, walk or public transport has far better return on investment and cost of living relief for the community than billions sunk into a toll road.’’

University of Southern Queensland business school Dean, Professor Fabrizio Carmignani, who has worked for the United Nations on infrastructure development, also cautioned about any cost-benefit analysis.

Prof Carmignani said if the tunnel were tolled, previous experience with other Brisbane tunnels showed that greatly affected the number of motorists willing to use the infrastructure.

“If you ask people stuck in traffic on the Centenary Mwy if they support a tunnel they will say yes,’’ he said.

“But when they realise they might have to pay $5 or $6 a day they start to think about other options (such as working from home).’’

Originally published as RACQ says Darra to Toowong tunnel needs to connect to Brisbane northside