Two years of road closures coming to CBD

CBD motorists are likely to face close to two years of road closures when work gets under way on the Queensland Investment Corporation’s redevelopment.

CBD motorists are likely to face close to two years of road closures when work gets under way on the Queensland Investment Corporation's redevelopment.

QIC, the group behind the $350 million redevelopment of Grand Central and Gardentown, has requested that Council close a number of city thoroughfares starting from as early as next month.

The most significant are the complete closure of Victoria St between Little and Margaret Sts from October, 2014, to August, 2016, as well as Dent St between Hill and Margaret Sts from October, 2014, to August, 2015.

The proposed closures were presented to council in a Planning and Development Committee meeting yesterday, although client management executive officer David Quinlan said he still viewed the current information as the "bones" of the plans.

WHAT'S ONLINE

• Video stores closing, vending machines take their place
• Terminal takes shape as airport readies for take-off
• Call from God brings crucifix to Toowoomba
• Gerard Baden Clay's battle to keep his wife and lover apart
• Want a water park in Toowoomba? Have your say now

"We have had to push them for this information, and some of the information is not as clear as I'd like it," Mr Quinlan said.

"It's important to understand that as yet QIC has not appointed its principal contractor. It expects to do that by the end of this month…what we are expecting is that there will be changes."

Aside from the major Victoria and Dent Sts closures, shorter-term night works are also proposed for sections of Herries, Victoria, Dent and Margaret Sts from July and August.

The closures could spell more trouble for business owners on Russell St, who are already dealing with the effects of traffic diversions for the Outer Circulating Road project.

Several councillors expressed the view that some works, particularly on Victoria St, should only be permitted to start after OCR closures conclude.

"I'm just concerned that we're not yet finished the OCR up the other end, and we're going to have all these temporary closures… and the library construction as well," Councillor Carol Taylor said.

"I really feel for the businesses that are up in Russell St and at the station precinct at the moment. This is just going to compound."

Victoria St's Toowoomba City Bowls Club and Senior Citizens Respite Centre would have a "priority exit" through the Victoria St and Little St signalised intersection, according to the QIC plans.

QIC and council will continue community and business consultation with the council report noting that "closures of such a period and physical extent are inevitably controversial".

Originally published as Two years of road closures coming to CBD