This month, work will begin on the first stage of the $3 million plan to provide Wooloowin residents with a new pocket park, better amenities at Melrose Park and safer ways to get around the area on foot and bicycle.

From 16 January, site establishment works will begin in parts of Melrose Park. For more information regarding the construction start dates, please see the January Wooloowin newsletter. 

Background

Airport Link builders Thiess John Holland, have contributed  $3 million as part of the conditions set by the State’s Coordinator-General to help offset the impacts of the additional worksite on Rose Street which is now being decommissioned.

CNI is overseeing the construction and has recently appointed the experienced Brisbane landscape construction company, Scape Shapes, to undertake the work which begins with the upgrade of Melrose Park.

Extensive consultation, including surveys and a community information day, was conducted over a five month period in 2010 to ensure local opinion shaped the design of all the projects.

Final approval was granted by the Coordinator-General in January 2011. The project team is continuing discussions with Brisbane City Council, who will be responsible for maintenance of the parks and pedestrian refuge upon completion. We would like to thank everyone who participated in the consultation process. We received a strong response and feedback on the original concept designs.

Key Elements:

• The pocket park at Rose Street will be predominantly green open space, with a path, tree and shrub planting along boundaries, a shelter with picnic facilities and a sculptural play area for children
• Upgrade works to Melrose Park including a new concrete pedestrian path along the park boundary; improved shelter facilities and more seating; enhanced character entry gates and additional trees planted along park boundaries
• Construction of a pedestrian bridge at the southern end of Melrose Park over Melrose Creek (Lewis Street drain) to improve pedestrian connectivity and safety along Rose Street
• Development of a Shaw Road cycle and pedestrian refuge, which will provide a safer connection for pedestrians crossing between the two playing fields
• Development of gateway entry statements at Shaw Road and at the corner of Kedron Park Road and Bridge Street.

Landscaping Construction Works:

While these works are minor in nature and short in duration, the conditions set by the Coordinator-General, applicable to urban mitigation works, have been written into the contract with Scape Shapes. This includes controls on dust, noise and traffic management.

Construction activities will be undertaken between 6:30am - 6:30pm Monday to Friday, except for works carried out under special circumstances (i.e. oversize deliveries or road closures).

During business hours, if you have any enquires or complaints regarding the Wooloowin work please contact CNI on:

Phone:     1800 990 038
Email:     info@cni.qld.gov.au
 
For urgent issues outside of business hours, please contact Scape Shapes on:

Phone: 0407 772 987

Wooloowin Urban Mitigation and Community Development Plan Documents:

• NEW! WOOLOOWIN NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2012
• NEW! Final Design Melrose Park
• NEW! Final Design Wooloowin UMCD Pedestrian Bridge, Shaw Road Refuge and Gateways
• Flythoughs
• Consultation Survey Results
• Message from PLACE Design Group and BBS
• Message from Queensland Rail
• Further infomation on Airport Link Urban Regeneration works  

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh became the first person to officially drive the Airport Link tunnel today- underground from Bowen Hills to Toombul- marking a major milestone for the project.

Australia’s largest and most complex road infrastructure project is now more than 95 per cent complete with just five months of construction remaining.

The Premier said the Airport Link was the centrepiece of a massive $4.8 billion infrastructure investment on Brisbane’s Northside which will slash travel times for motorists.

“This is a significant moment in the history of Brisbane’s development,” Ms Bligh said.

“When Airport Link opens to motorists, drivers will be able to travel the 6.7 kilometres between Bowen Hills and Toombul in under five minutes*, avoiding 18 sets of traffic lights along the way.

“The toll road will add six lanes of new roadway under Lutwyche Road and four extra lanes between Kedron and Toombul. Motorists will be able to enter and exit the tunnel at Bowen Hills, Kedron and Toombul,” Ms Bligh said.

The Premier thanked the thousands of men and women who have worked so hard over the past three years and congratulated the 3,400 people who are still working to complete this massive project.

To construct this complex project, 15 kilometres of tunnel and ramps has been bored and lined, 800,000m3 of concrete has been poured and more than 500kms of cable has been laid,” Ms Bligh said.

Underground, tunnelling is complete, with mechanical and electrical fit out underway and asphalt being laid.

The deep shafts at Truro Street, Windsor and Rose Street, Wooloowin are no longer in use for tunneling and those sites are now being decommissioned.

At Toombul work is well advanced to finish the tunnel entrances and exits, and the Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) is on schedule for completion in late April.

The Premier thanked the local community who have been living and working amongst the construction activity taking place in their neighbourhoods.

BrisConnections CEO Ray Wilson said the opening of Airport Link will make a huge difference to lives of Northside residents.

“This vital road will help drivers save up to 2.5 hours per week,” he said.
“Mid-year, drivers will travel on Airport Link between Bowen Hills to Kedron in just three and a half minutes.

Traffic consulting firm TTM Group found that Airport Link will provide travel time savings of up to 20 minutes in peak hour on some journeys and reduce travel times by as much as 88 percent.

Thiess John Holland Project Director Gordon Ralph said this is the largest infrastructure project in Australia with many complex engineering feats.

“I am very proud of what our team has achieved to date and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones as we progress towards our 30 June 2012 completion date,” he said.

Airport Link is being designed and constructed by Thiess John Holland, along with the Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) and the Airport Roundabout Upgrade.

13 kilometres of new and upgraded cycle and pathways are also being delivered as part of the project, and more than three hectares of new parkland will be provided to the community at completion.

22 February 2012