> Traffic and Transport

With Airport Link, motorists would benefit from significant travel time savings via both the tunnel and the surface network.

The Changed Project will:

• allow travel between Bowen Hills and the airport roundabout in as little as six minutes
• halve the time it takes in morning peak to travel between Chermside and Fortitude Valley.
• cut cross-town travel times by about 40% between the Gympie and Rode roads intersection and the Story Bridge, and about 40% between Toombul and the Story Bridge
• reduce traffic in the inner north — on Bowen Bridge Road, south of Butterfield Street, by 11%, O’Connell Terrace east of Bowen Bridge Road by 18%, and Gipps Street north of Wickham Street by 8%
• Reduce through traffic on local streets, including by around 26% on Junction Road at Clayfield. Other roads to benefit include Kedron Park Road, Rose Street and Rode Road

While Airport Link will increase traffic on some main roads connecting to the tunnel, such as Stafford Road, Gympie Road and the East-West Arterial, forecast increases are within the capacity of these roads.

How will traffic change?

Traffic modelling undertaken for Airport Link investigated predicted changes to traffic on arterial and suburban roads with and without Airport Link.

Detailed information on predicted traffic changes was presented in the EIS, for the years 2012, 2016, 2022 and 2026.

How will Airport Link affect for the wider road network?

The potential impact of Airport Link on the existing network was considered in the EIS.

This included identifying potential impacts on existing traffic conditions elsewhere in the road network, including the Airport roundabout and the intersection of Nudgee Road and the East-West Arterial.

What alternative transport options have been investigated?

Traffic modelling shows that public transport alone cannot reduce congestion and that an integrated approach to the City’s transport problems is required.

Brisbane needs a range of integrated transport choices, including public transport, pedestrian and cycling routes and roads. In addition, integrated land use planning is also being considered by the Queensland Government to manage travel demand.

Airport Link is being jointly delivered with the Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron). This will help to reduce construction impacts on local communities, allow the efficient use of resources and help to reduce the construction costs for the delivery of both projects.

Improvements to pedestrian and cycle networks in Brisbane’s inner northern suburbs will also be delivered as part of the Airport Link Changed Project.

Airport Link will be delivered through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. This will allow the Queensland Government to spend on public transport and other priorities since they will not have to bear the full cost of the project.