Brisbane City Council will kick off detailed design of its planned green bridge between Toowong and West End before the end of the year.
Key points:
- Brisbane City Council says detailed design of the bridge will start later this year
- The Greens have been critical of the council for not yet requesting state or federal funding
- The state government is still indicating it will not put any money towards the green bridge program
It comes as the LNP administration faces criticism from the Greens for not yet requesting state or federal funding for the project – although, the state is still indicating it will not financially back the pedestrian link.
The council has plans to build four green bridges across the city – committing $550 million towards the projects, which were first floated by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner ahead of the 2020 election.
They include a bridge linking Kangaroo Point to the CBD and another link over Breakfast Creek, with the council’s transport chair, Ryan Murphy, saying both projects were “rapidly taking shape”.
Mr Murphy also said the council’s plans to build another link over the Brisbane River between Toowong and West End would soon move into the detailed design and public consultation phase.
It comes after the council purchased the bridge’s Toowong landing site, with the detailed design process set to begin before the end of the year.
“Once this important work is complete, we will be able to approach the state and federal governments for funding,” Mr Murphy said.
“With our green bridges now recognised by Infrastructure Australia as priority projects, we’re hopeful that the state government will help fund the West End to Toowong green bridge.”
State government funding unlikely
When Mr Schrinner announced the green bridge program after his elevation to the lord mayoralty in 2019, he indicated a third of the funds would need to come from the state and federal governments.
The federal government has committed funds towards the Kangaroo Point bridge.
The council is yet to apply for funds for the Toowong to West End bridge, although Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick previously indicated the state would not give money for any of the green bridges.
The Treasurer’s office confirmed to ABC Radio Brisbane the sentiment had not changed.
Greens state MP for Maiwar, Michael Berkman, criticised the LNP administration for not yet applying for funding for the Toowong to West End bridge more than four years after the idea was floated.
“Why don’t they just get on with it,” he asked.
Mr Schrinner suggested earlier this month that the number of bridges built under the program was dependent on the level of support from other levels of government.
Construction of the Kangaroo Point and Breakfast Creek bridges is underway.
The council did not say when construction would begin on the Toowong to West End bridge.
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