Brisbane’s rail level crossing bottlenecks back in spotlight
By Tony Moore
Traffic flow around 14 rail level crossings in south-east Queensland will be put back on track through planning studies worth $10 million, Transport Minister Bart Mellish has announced.
Mellish had previously flagged a “three levels of government” approach to removing the problematic crossings, which slow traffic and public transport, before the completion of Cross River Rail works.
Qld Senator Anthony Chisholm, state Transport Minister Bart Mellish and Sandgate MP Stirling Hinchliffe join Brisbane infrastructure chair Andrew Wines at the start of work on the Beams Road level crossing overpass.Credit: Tony Moore
Mellish released the new funding approach on Wednesday morning.
“The program is aimed at improving safety, traffic flows and public transport reliability at and around level crossings,” Mellish said.
“It also allows us to prepare for increased rail services when Cross River Rail and Logan Gold Coast Faster Rail are finished.
“We have committed more than hundreds of millions of dollars towards upgrading level crossings at Coopers Plains, Carseldine and Lindum.”
The program puts the spotlight on level crossings at Kuraby, Woodridge, Bethania, Holmview and Beenleigh as part of the $5.75 billion Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail project.
Three Sunshine Coast level crossings have been identified for upgrade between Glasshouse Mountains and Beerburrum stations as part of the previously announced Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade.
Options for the level crossing upgrades include reconfiguring intersections, widening nearby roads, and installing traffic lights to building rail or road overpasses.
Homes could be built if surplus government-owned land was available after level crossings were reconfigured, the report showed.
Fast-tracking the removal of rail level crossings was supported by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.
“Drivers, rail workers, emergency responders and passengers support eliminating level crossings because we all deserve to live in safe communities,” Queensland branch secretary Peter Allen said.
“It means trains don’t have to blast their horn every time they approach the crossing.
“It makes for safer streets. It makes the jobs of our members safer. Everyone wins.”
A government report on level crossings suggested the Queensland experience was different to Victoria, where level crossings had been removed faster.
Brisbane Times reported in 2023 that Queensland had not removed any level crossings in nine years, whereas 70 were removed over the same period in Victoria.
“SEQ has a much lower number of public level crossings and these are also more dispersed across the network,” the report stated.
“By comparison, many level crossings in Melbourne are in very close proximity to each other and higher levels of congestion are experienced on more crossings.
“The ability to remove a number of level crossings at the same time over short distances is less achievable in SEQ, nor are the congestion pressures as widespread.”
The new funding agreement was part of the SEQ City Deal tying all three levels of government to project funding.
Progress on SEQ rail crossings:
Beams Road, Carseldine
- Work under way
Boundary Road, Coopers Plains
- Design work under way, construction to begin in 2024
Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail
- Five level crossings being removed at Kuraby, Woodridge, Bethania, Holmview and Beenleigh
- Next phase - commence construction
Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade (Stage 1)
- Level crossings include one at Glass House Mountains and removal of two others at Beerburrum. Detailed design under way
- Next phase is construction
Two crossings at Coorparoo
- One on Cavendish Road, second on Stanley Street East
- $3 million planning study under way for the local road and crossing network
Kianawah Road, Wynnum West (Lindum)
- Reconfigured level crossing with traffic signals being designed
St Vincents Road, Banyo
- Planning study being finalised