GOOD news may be on the horizon for long-suffering commuters, with fresh momentum building behind the long-
awaited Rickertt Road and Tingalpa Creek bridge duplication.
After months of behind-the-scenes work, planners are now mapping out the next steps to finally get the project bordering Redlands and Brisbane moving.
The three key arteries into Capalaba are bursting at the seams as traffic grows, and residents say fixing the notorious bottleneck at the bridge has been a top priority for years.
Local resident Howard Driver said the road was a vital link for the northern Redlands.
“This is the only road in and out of the northern part of Redlands and is very slow and congested during peak times and is subject to flooding in heavy rain,” Mr Driver said.
The business case funding was first announced publicly before the State Election as an election commitment from the now Member for Capalaba Russell Field.
The $500,000 allocation was confirmed again after the election and included in the Government’s first Budget.
The funds have been assigned to the Department of Transport and Main Roads, with ongoing work between TMR and Redland City Council officers over recent months to determine how the project will be delivered.
The expected outcome is that the State will transfer the $500,000 to Council, which will then lead and manage the business case.
Negotiations are still underway to finalise what the business case will and won’t cover.
A funding deed is anticipated in coming weeks, with work on the business case progressing over the next 12 months.
Mr Field described the funding as a critical first step in a project that has been “long overdue”.
He said he had been in regular contact with the Minister’s Office and the Department of Transport and Main Roads to monitor progress, and praised the collaboration with Redland City Council to draft a funding agreement for the business case.
Brisbane City Council clarified its role, noting the project is being delivered by Redland City Council, although Brisbane Council will be consulted on any designs as the project lies on the border of its local government area.
Redland City Councillor Peter Mitchell said transportation issues across Redlands, Brisbane, and Logan would benefit from a shared and coordinated approach.
Another Redland City Councillor, Shane Rendalls, said the study would determine the cost-benefit of replacing or duplicating the bridge and upgrading the single-lane sections south (Redlands) and north of the bridge (Brisbane).
“These works will only be possible with significant State and Federal funding.”
A spokesperson for Redland City Council said it was reviewing a Queensland Government proposal for Council to develop a business case examining options for improving the capacity of the Rickertt Rd corridor, from Thorneside to Green Camp Rd.
“If Council accepts the proposal, a business case would be the first step in better understanding the complexities and scale of such a project and would assist Council in determining whether future consideration or alternative funding pathways may be required,” the spokesperson said.
