30 May 2008

Queensland’s Coordinator-General is seeking community feedback on proposed changes to Australia’s longest road tunnel project, Airport Link.

On May 19, BrisConnections was named as the preferred bidder to build Airport Link, the Windsor to Kedron section of the Northern Busway and a new fly-over to bypass the airport roundabout at a total cost of $4.8 billion.

BrisConnections will build, own and operate the tunnel for a 45-year concession period.

Coordinator-General Colin Jensen said the BrisConnections bid introduced changes to the original Airport Link approval which required submissions to be sought from the public.

“The design now being proposed realigns some sections of the tunnel and creates potential new benefits and impacts,” said Mr Jensen.

“By increasing the overall length of driven tunnel, BrisConnections has reduced the amount of ‘cut and cover’ tunnelling works, particularly along Lutwyche Road near Wooloowin State School and behind Kedron State High School.

“This would help reduce disruption to the local community and schools during construction.

“Additionally replacing some surface road and overhead road bridges with tunnels under Kedron Brook linking Stafford Road and Gympie Road to the mainline tunnels would reduce community impacts.”

Mr Jensen said other changes included burying two of three ventilation stations to help reduce noise and visual impacts.

“The Clayfield ventilation station would be wholly buried and the Windsor ventilation station would be partially buried to reduce visual impacts,” he said.

“The proposed changes would also improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity with the planned Northern Busway, which will be constructed at the same time.”

Mr Jensen said because Airport Link and the Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) would be mostly underground, 384 below-ground titles would also be required, including 238 properties not previously affected. The below-ground titles of 165 properties which were previously required under the original design will no longer be needed.

Airport Link is a mainly underground, dual-tunnel toll road project about seven kilometres in length with about five kilometres in tunnel. It would bypass 16 sets of traffic lights between Bowen Hills and Kedron and travel time between Bowen Hills and the airport roundabout would take as little as six minutes.

The project links roads at Bowen Hills, including the North South Bypass Tunnel, and the Inner City Bypass with the northern arterials of Gympie Road and Stafford Road at Kedron and Sandgate Road and the East-West Arterial at Toombul.

The Coordinator-General will call for public submissions on the Request for Project Change Report on Saturday. People will have until Monday 30 June to comment on the changes.

The report can be viewed during normal business hours, until June 30, at the Brisbane Square Library, Chermside Library, Nundah Library, Grange Library, Hamilton Library and the Spring Hill Queensland Transport Customer Service Centre.

A project visitor information centre including models and maps is located at 109 Gympie Road, Kedron. The centre is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am – 4pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2pm – 7pm and Saturdays from 9am – noon.

Community information sessions will also be held at the following times and locations:

“I will issue a decision on the proposed change after I have considered the public submissions and other relevant information,” said Mr Jensen.

For information on the changes to the project or advice on lodging a submission see the Airport Link project page.

For more information on the projects visit the Airport Link website or call 1800 99 00 38.

Media contact: Chris Bishop – +61 7 3405 3438