Calls for a new bridge in Brisbane’s west side have surfaced anew after the area had been cut off yet again for the third time in 2022 due to heavy rains. The move comes as the proposed Bellbowrie Green Bridge was scrapped due to a lack of support from locals.
In late October 2022, Colleges Crossing and Kholo Road (Bells Bridge) remained closed for days due to dam water releases, causing delays in travelling to and from school. It was the same situation that residents were in last February and May.
Residents, hence, are calling for the council to investigate and allocate funds for a much-needed infrastructure to help mitigate congestion and provide a public transport and emergency evacuation route option during a fire or flood event.
Council said that roads that lead to and from Moggil and Bellbowrie are state-controlled and that the matter of building a new bridge in the area would be decided by the State Government.
The proposed Bellbowrie Green Bridge was scrapped because a majority of locals from the Pullenvale Ward and Jamboree Ward were opposed to the idea, thus, no funding was allocated for the proposed project.
Initial consultation, however, revealed that most residents prefer a bridge that could accommodate all modes of transport, whilst many suggested that the bridge alignment be extended to Birkin Road or Booker Place Park at Bellbowrie, to Sumners Road at Riverhills.
The green bridge, Council said, would have connected Bellbowrie and Moggill residents to walking and cycling options as well as public transport services on the eastern side of the Brisbane River. It would have also improved emergency access during major flood events.
Other than building a new bridge, locals also supported the establishment of more services in the Moggill-Bellbowrie area, a report on the outcome of a community forum held last November 2022 revealed.
In particular, services like a community centre and meeting space, a new high school, specialist medical facilities and additional facilities for young people could be considered so people won’t have to travel out of the area.
The report also noted that identifying the sites for establishing these services including the new bridge is a key question that needs to be answered.