Ipswich City Council has endorsed the strategic and preliminary business cases for the Norman Street Bridge and has recommended the final detailed business case stage proceed.
A report presented to council this week calculated that the existing problem – largely congestion and road safety in the Ipswich city centre – is costing the community about $34 million per year.
General Manager of Infrastructure and Environment Charlie Dill said council’s transport and land use planning framework includes a proposed new bridge crossing of the Bremer River to take through traffic out of the core of the Ipswich CBD.
This new crossing was identified as a ‘catalytic project’ in the Ipswich Regional Centre Strategy to relieve traffic congestion and promote revitalisation of the Ipswich city centre.
The Norman Street Bridge is seen as a key infrastructure driver for the future economic and civic success of the Ipswich city centre as a Principal Regional Activity Centre under the South-East Queensland Regional Plan.
Mr Dill said council had worked closely with the Queensland Government (Department of Transport and Main Roads) throughout the development of the strategic and preliminary business cases.
The key findings of these studies were:
1. Stimulating the economic growth of Ipswich is vital for jobs and well-being of Ipswich and South East Queensland residents.
2. Revitalising the Ipswich city centre is essential to the economic development of Ipswich.
3. Congestion in the Ipswich city centre is a major impediment to the revitalisation and economic development of Ipswich.
4. Traffic in the Ipswich city centre is made up of motorists travelling to the city centre as well as through the city centre.
5. Reducing congestion and improving road safety could be achieved by reducing cars and truck traffic in the city centre, and promote the use public transport, walking and cycling.
The Norman Street Bridge project will deliver benefits that include:
– enabling through-traffic to bypass the core of the Ipswich city centre
– freeing-up existing road capacities to facilitate public transport, walking and cycling access to the CBD
– increasing capacity and resilience of the transport network Ipswich to handle major flood events and (future) major events
The indicative cost of the Norman Street Bridge option is about $372 million, although it is estmated there will be a return of two dollars for every dollar invested.
“Council has planned to deliver the project in partnership with the Australian and Queensland Governments, similar to other funding arrangements used for the delivery of major infrastructure with Brisbane City, Gold Coast City and Moreton Bay Regional Councils,” Mr Dill said.
Funding assistance would also be required to commence the detailed business case.
Interim Administrator Steve Greenwood said council is calling on state and federal politicians to support Ipswich with this major city-building initiative. He agreed council should move forward with the detailed business case.
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How old is the Norman Street Bridge plan? It is so outdated and I’m disappointed council is wasting resources pursuing it. The plan is pre Riverlink and will just transfer traffic headaches across the river to North Ipswich which already has traffic congestion from Riverlink. There has to be better options to relieve congestion!
Great looking bridge! But this could be anywhere. Please reveal the road network supporting this.
Hi,
What’s the benefit/cost ratio of this project?
The only benefit is to increase the town centre values and decrease property values in surrounding suburbs it is printed in
Norman Street Bridge, Summery Report
Dated July 2013.
Part 8.12.2
the Norman st bridge is so out dated before we start building it all traffic will go up to downs st from mt Crosby rd ( as pine st will be cut off to though traffic.) then up hill to turn left this will merge with the brassle traffic though school zone then traffic then traffic lights at Lawrence st to turn left to go over the bridge now the traffic can back up from town all the ways back to chawr of a morning and at night every day can will only get worse with time
to me 5 ways down Chermside past west end footy club short bridge over to banks st a long the back of candy soils and the sports club and up near the old concrete plant but the mt Crosby inter change will have to work with the bridge project to have some chance of working. people will complain but it is no different then to the people it may effect now it is the only way that Ipswich can reduce the grid lock now
How about we wait until we have a new Mayor and Councillors voted in and a further consultation process conducted as there have been changes that were not mentioned in the initial consultative process ie the new sports stadium (that is not even displayed in the visioned plan displayed on this website which is the proposed plan).
The congestion now up and down Chermside Road during school and peak hours is horrendous and I cannot see how placing the bridge where it’s proposed will improve traffic flows up and down both Chermside Road and Jacaranda Streets If this proposal goes ahead.
Also has flood planning been truely looked at this area floods?
This will also put children in further danger attempting to cross a now “four lane” road along Jacaranda Street and also attempting to cross over Chermside Road.
I still don’t believe this “vision” has been examined thoroughly enough.
Let the new Mayor and Councillors consult with their constituents first and then make an informed plan.
Well said. Jacaranda st is only 2 lanes, but that’s a 4 lane bridge. No mention of what’s going to happen to Jacaranda st here, and Ipswich East SS is not far away. Chermside rd is hopeless because of the 5 ways lights, even outside of school times. People heading down to the southern suburbs would give up after a few attempts and just go back to the old route. Can’t see much of a benefit here seeing the people who this would apparently benefit is southern suburbs people insisting on commuting back home along the Warrego. Eastern suburbs people can easily access home through Bundamba. Southern have many options off the Cunningham from Dinmore to Yamanto. We can find a better way to spend $372 million. Seriously, this smacks of a politician who wants their name on a bridge. Many have tried and many have failed, for good reason. The fact that this proposal has been around seemingly forever is less about Ipswich Council ambitions and more about the fact that there’s no way State and Federal are going to throw money into this.
Hi John, have a look at the proposed video flyover presented by council in the past at this reference for more detail. Again as I said before no mention of the stadium being proposed to be constructed on the “green open space” displayed in this video. Also they want to create a right hand turn at Chermside road and close off Glebe road access creating no doubt more traffic congestion up and down Chermside Road.
https://www.ipswichfirst.com.au/norman-street-bridge-one-step-closer-as-planning-continues/
This is sooo necessary. It is beyond a joke trying to get from north ipswich to anywhere. Another bridge is needed for sure. Once a bridge is there it would get used a hell of a lot hence the proposed road upgrades etc.
Currently, from my house out west. There are three main ways into ipswich. Via west ipswich, via north ipswich and via DINMORE (3)! For the north side (warrego) there are no entries covering east ipswich, booval, bundamba. It’s all cut off due to the river!!
The south east side has 5 different ways to get into ipswich. Blackstone giving way to a couple choices. There’s an secondary main road to the south running from blackstone, silkstone, raceview and eastern heights. Imagine if no-one could get to it from the hwy like you CAN’T in the north.
Progress needs to be made. There must be a way from north ipswich to east ipswich bypassing the riverlink mess. Waiting to turn left and get out of the traffic is a joke. It doesn’t need to be extravagant, just build another bridge.
Bribie Island bridge was built for $720,000 in 1963 in 2 years. With inflation, that’s $10,000,000. Use that as your guideline for price. Roads shouldn’t be so bloody expensive or take so bloody long!