Big-budget bridge

Extra roadworks and an improved design have been blamed for a $280 million increase in the cost of duplicating the Gateway bridge and motorway.

The new bridge and motorway, to be completed in stages by late 2010, will now cost taxpayers at least $1.88 billion. 

But the toll for both bridges over the Brisbane River from 2011 has been maintained as planned at $3.10 for cars, up from the current price of $2.50.

The extra costs were revealed yesterday when a joint venture between Leighton and Abigroup was announced as the successful bidder to construct the massive project Transport Minister Paul Lucas yesterday said the extra costs were not a blow-out from the original $1.6 billion proposal. 

Mr Lucas said additional access from the new bridge to Kingsford Smith Drive, extending the new motorway north to Nudgee Rd, and widening a bridge over Airport Drive to accommodate up to six lanes of traffic in the future were among the reasons for the cost increase.

He said there were unlikely to be other major cost increases. 

"The capital cost is locked in," Mr Lucas said. "There is a small part which is variable and that relates to the ongoing maintenance costs." Motorists face tolls on both bridges for 30 years from the time all the new work is fully completed by 2011.

The debt from constructing the original Gateway was on track to be paid off by 2016 and the bridge was supposed to become free to use from then. 

Both bridges will become fully electronic with toll booths scrapped. Alternative payment options will be made available for casual users who do not have an e-toll transponder fitted to their vehicle.

The existing bridge will become one-way heading north and the new bridge will be oneway heading south. Each will carry six lanes of traffic. 

The new motorway and bridge will peel off from the existing motorway at Murarrie, cross the river and continue through land resumed from the Royal Queensland Golf Club as well as the airport.

It will meet up again with the existing motorway near Banyo. 

All existing off-ramps and onramps along the original route will be maintained, while there will be extra access to Kingsford Smith Drive and the airport from the new motorway.

Mr Lucas said booming traffic growth would be managed by making stages of the new motorway available progressively. 

"It has the potential to reduce travel times from Rochedale to Brisbane Airport by 15 minutes and Caboolture to the Port of Brisbane by about 10 minutes during peak times," he said.

Courier Mail, page 9
19th September 2006

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