Designs have been released for a massive new nearly half a kilometre long pedestrian and cycle bridge that will connect the new underground Cross River Rail Boggo Rd station with the busway, Park Road train station, the Boggo Road health, science and education precinct, the new PA Hospital precinct and the new high school at Dutton Park.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said delivering public infrastructure was an important part of the state’s Economic Recovery Plan.
“We’re building Cross River Rail – the largest infrastructure project in Queensland’s history – not just to create jobs, but to make it easier for locals to travel throughout the southeast,” the Premier said.
“Linking our public transport system with the hospital, new high school and the new science and education precinct will make it easier for many locals to get to work and access essential services.”
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the 480-metre-long bridge would link the new and existing stations with the Princess Alexandra Hospital and the PAH South East Busway platforms to the east.
“This bridge will be a unifier for the local community as it soars over the railway junction and will make active travel safer, quicker and easier for local workers, residents and students,” Mr Bailey said.
“It will provide faster and more convenient walking and cycling connections, forms an extension of the local cycle network and improved connectivity to the PA Hospital bus station and the new underground Boggo Road rail station.
“Crossing over both freight and passenger train lines, the bridge will be a feat of engineering and a standout signature element for an area that currently divides the community.”
Member for Greenslopes Joe Kelly said said the new bridge, which included lifts on both sides, dedicated cycle and pedestrian paths, seating, shade and rest stops, was accessible and designed to meet safety requirements to pass over the rail corridor.
“The bridge will vastly improve the active transport connectivity for Southside Rd between the UQ campus via the Eleanor Schonell Bridge and the V1 Veloway and Stones Corner,” Mr Kelly said.
“It is also yet to be named, which provides us with an opportunity for the public to contribute ideas.
“We’re calling on the local community to give us their suggestions – the bridge could be named after somebody local, who has a track record of service and creating community connections, even someone linked to health, science and education or take a name that honours local First Nations culture.
“If you have a great suggestion, jump on the Cross River Rail website to complete the form.”
Mr Bailey said the new bridge was another example of how Cross River Rail would transform travel across South East Queensland.
“Cross River Rail is a truly transformational project – injecting $4 million a day into the economy by supporting jobs and industries across the state,” he said.
“2021 was full of massive milestones for the project as we completed the year of tunnelling, and we’re continuing that momentum into 2022.
“This bridge is part of Cross River Rail works at Boggo Road, along with one of the project’s four new underground stations.
“The bridge and the new station it connects to will see Boggo Road become South East Queensland’s second busiest transport interchange, with over 22,000 commuters using the new station each weekday by 2036.
“It will also stimulate the growth of what is already a world class health, science and education precinct, where thousands of people already work and where thousands of jobs will be created in the future.”
Mr Bailey said construction on the new bridge would commence from March and was expected to take around 18 months depending on weather conditions.
Boggo Road bridge fast facts:
- A new cycling and pedestrian bridge will be delivered at Boggo Road as part of Cross River Rail.
- It will be an architecturally designed cable stay bridge, approximately 480 metres long, with the cable stay spire approximately 45 metres high.
- The main deck level will be about 20 metres above the ground, and it will be up to 6.25 metres wide.
- It will consist of more than 1600 tonnes of steel, 1.2 kilometres of hand rail, more than 16 kilometres of welds, 43 metre tall pylons, 683 metres of cable stay, and five individual steel girders weighing up to 133 tonnes each.
- Key features include lifts on the eastern and western sides, dedicated cycling and pedestrian paths, seating and rest stops, shade and planting at both ends and rail corridor security mesh.
- The western entry will be via a grade-separated path off Peter Doherty Street, with the bridge crossing over the rail line and linking into the existing bikeway near the Princess Alexandra Hospital Busway station.
great idea to make the connections how ever why not add simple pedestrian lift at each end, same as the excellent lift at Howard smith wharfs so people who do not want to do the 480m marathon can simply go quicker to where they want to be?
The bridge idea is okay, but I’m still not sold on having a brand new (Boggo Rd) train station -integrating the new Cross River Rail stop with the existing Park Rd (train and bus) station surely has to be the better solution. This whole area is turning into a station sprawl.
We’re ending up with two train stations about 75m apart, as well as two bus stations separated by this new pedestrian bridge.
God help any Olympics tourists trying to catch connectors only to find out that instead of just switching platforms they’ve got to walk to a separate station.
Great idea. I agree with other commenters, A set of stairs at each end would be good if people don’t want to walk the lengthy loop.