Construction causing havoc for Brisbane drivers

The Club’s Head of Public Policy Rebecca Michael said Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro, Queens Wharf, CityLink Cycleway and the closure of Victoria Bridge to cars would all contribute to increased traffic.

“The Captain Cook Bridge, Hale Street and the Inner City Bypass are under immense pressure at the moment due to high traffic volumes and underutilised toll roads, while the William Jolly Bridge and Roma Street are suffering due to the closure of Victoria Bridge to general traffic,” Dr Michael said.

“The CityLink Cycyleway will greatly improve safety and access through city streets for cyclists, but the work has reduced capacity along Edward Street and we expect the delays to continue as the Brisbane City Council (BCC) trial progresses throughout 2021.

“Congestion across the city is already peaking above pre-Covid levels and we predict choke points and construction works will continue to affect parts of the city this year and into next year as drivers adapt to the changing road conditions.”

Dr Michael urged the State Government and BCC to do all they can to ease pressure on busy CBD corridors and encourage more people to use alternate corridors as well as active or public transport.

“Unfortunately, we’re in a situation of short-term pain for long-term gain. Building these mass transport projects is causing a huge amount of disruption for drivers now, but it’ll eventually result in more sustainable and accessible transport systems,” she said.

“In the meantime, we’re urging road authorities to continue to adapt to the increase in traffic on the network and Transurban to consider discounts and incentives for drivers to use toll roads to help take the pressure off the gridlocked corridors.

“Drivers also need to be patient while works are underway and consider other options for their journey such as active and public transport or completing their journeys outside of peak times.”