Residents’ concerns over Gap Creek Road upgrade proposal
The following is an example of the sort of correspondence being sent to our local politicians by Gap residents expressing their concern over plans for Gap Creek/Dillon Roads:
I object most strongly to the Brisbane City Council considering any upgrade of Gap Creek Road and there are compelling reasons why it should continue to function as it does presently. These include issues to do with air quality in The Gap given its geographical features; environmental sensitivity of Brisbane Forest Park; community safety; and additional ‘downstream’ costs to government. I will address these in turn but first we need to debunk the myth that Gap Creek Road presents hazards to traffic.
I refute that this is a dangerous road. I travel this road to and from work from my residence in The Gap to my place of employment at Kenmore and have done so since 1991. That adds up to over 7500 journeys along that road! I have never had an accident nor has my car suffered damage. There is adequate signage and with due care, this road is easily traveled.
In relation to the reasons for objection noted in my first paragraph, I tender the following observations as to why Gap Creek Road should not be upgraded:
- Air quality – The Gap is densely populated and lies in a ‘bowl’-like environ surrounded by hills. Breezes are unable to adequately disperse pollutants as indicated by bushfires and controlled burns each year. Additional traffic will create a lethal cocktail especially photochemical smog on chilly winter mornings.
- Environmental sensitivity – Brisbane Forest Park is a conservation area and growing recreational resource. No major road upgrades should be allowed in a conservation zone. While it’s true that some conservation areas of Brisbane are traversed by major roads, it is usually always the case that the roads were there before the conservation status was bestowed upon the area. Some of us remember well what happened to the Goss Labor government with its Daisy Hill fiasco in the early 1990s.
- Community safety – the western end of Payne Road has been intensively residentialised in the past decade and this process continues as I write. Payne Road, School Road and Illowra Street are residential link roads each with engineering nightmares that make pedestrian movement and cycling by those of this comparatively young demographic mix a game of ‘Russian roulette’. Crossing Payne Road anywhere in the one kilometre stretch between Dillon Road and Glen Retreat Road is dangerous due to sharp bends, dips and rises. The local primary schools, Payne Road SS and The Gap SS, have worked hard to promote State Government safe travel policies but massive traffic increases that this proposal will bring will see bike riding and walking to and from school along these roads curtailed. I will not let my school age children ride their bikes on Payne Road even though they wish to ride to and from school.
- ‘Downstream’ costs to government (read that as taxpayers) - Traffic engineers need to study especially the existing situation of vehicles negotiating the intersection of Payne and Kays Road and Payne and Moggill Roads. Extra traffic generated by an upgrade to Gap Creek Road will exacerbate the current dangers and necessitate massive extra costs. On the Kenmore side of Mt Coot-tha, Brookfield and Moggill Roads will carry even greater volumes. Everyone knows how bad the Ipswich Motorway and Centenary Highway traffic flows are. Given a chance, northbound traffic from Ipswich will take the diversion created by any upgrade to Gap Creek Road. I can see the added chaos now along Moggill Road between Chapel Hill and Bellbowrie. There will be massive traffic flow increases with disastrous consequences for the communities of The Gap and Kenmore that will require huge State government expenditure because of ill considered decisions made by the Brisbane City Council.
I urge you to use your influence to stop any upgrade of Gap Creek Road for the reasons given above.