Last month the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, confirmed in Estimates that the State Government had transferred $1M to Brisbane City Council for a corridor study along Montague Road in West End.
The Minister announced the funding for a Montague Road study during the State Election in 2020, following lobbying by community organisation Kurilpa Futures.
The Minister confirmed in Estimates, as he had when he first announced the funding, that Brisbane City Council (BCC) would manage the project.
“The logical way of doing this, rather than overlapping and having us doing studies for something that is an asset owned by the local government, was to ask them to do that work on their asset.
“Montague Road has changed a lot in the past 10 years with all the growth around there, particularly the high-density buildings going in between there and the river. That is putting pressure on Montague Road. It made sense for the asset owner to do that work, funded by us to make sure that it is done. I look forward to the outcomes of that,” Minister Baily told the Estimates Committee for Transport And Resources Committee on 2 August.
A Transport and Main Roads (TMR) spokesperson told the Westender that the State Government is collaborating with BCC officers to finalise the project scope and methodology.
“The Montague Road Corridor Study will support a positive transformation of the Montague Road precinct and wider area. As the primary infrastructure owner, Brisbane City Council (BCC) has agreed to manage the study.
“We will continue to be involved in project governance to ensure state and community interests and priorities are considered.”
The TMR spokesperson said that stakeholder and community consultation would ensure local insights and community priorities inform study recommendations.
Recommendations from a $600K Traffic and Mobility Study, funded by the State Government and implemented by BBC in 2019, produced high-level recommendations including a Montague Road corridor study (Action 10e).
Brisbane City Council provided a brief response to the Westender on Council’s management of the project.
“West End and South Brisbane population growth is a key consideration in planning for future transport needs for the area and providing a range of options for people to get around these suburbs.”
The Council spokesperson said it is too early to speculate on what outcomes the study will recommend for future implementation and their timing, and the study’s outcome would determine work.
An opportunity to have your say
Separately, community group, Kurilpa Futures, has been working with residents and businesses to establish the Montague Road Project.
“This community-driven project has a long-term focus and will rely on the active participation of residents and visitors to the Montague Road corridor.” Kurilpa Futures said in a recent update published by The Westender.
The group has invited residents interested in participating in Montague Road’s transformation to participate in a Community Forum on Sunday, 11 September, at the Thomas Dixon Centre.
They hope that the workshop outcomes will inform all levels of government of the community’s vision for a ‘signature character’ for this unique and much-loved part of Brisbane.
The forum is a FREE ticketed event. Places are limited; register here.
Have your say now by completing the KF survey here.
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Cover image by Jan Bowman
