A BRIDGE TOO FAR
On Tuesday the Gold Coast was told the ASF resort was scrapped to save the Spit. Now the State Government says it was to save the $700 million it would have cost to build this ‘brunnel’
THE State Government killed the $3 billion ASF development because it could not justify spending nearly $700 million on a secret hybrid bridge-tunnel toll road under the Broadwater.
The Bulletin can reveal the Labor Government commissioned independent consultants to detail a hi-tech road that would have connected The Spit to Southport’s North Street. The road would start as a bridge in Southport and become an underwater tunnel in the middle of the Broadwater, connecting to Seaworld Drive.
The proposal was developed with the help of independent traffic consultants, who advised the “brunnel” was the only viable option to ease the area’s already clogged roads.
Prime community concerns against the ASF proposal included exceeding the three-storey height limit and the effects on traffic through Main Beach.
However, the Palaszczuk Government felt the $680 million bridge was unfeasible because it had to be a toll road and at least 20 highrises, up to 50 storeys each, were needed on The Spit to recoup the cost.
Premier Annastacia Palasczuk and Deputy Premier Jackie Trad declined to comment last night on the project.
In canning the project on Tuesday, the Premier said any solution to traffic problems on The Spit “would involve something of an eyesore”.
ASF last night said they had been party to preliminary discussions with the government about the “brunnel”, but detailed sessions never eventuated.
The “brunnel” was not among the proposed traffic solutions unveiled by the developer in January. They included a light rail link to The Spit, a modern replica of the Jubilee Bridge in the southern Broadwater and traffic upgrades in central Southport.
ASF director Louis Chien said the developer’s traffic solution would have been more than sufficient to solve congestion issues.
“We didn’t think (the brunnel) was necessary but all of this could be worked out as part of a detailed proposal. Everything is conceptual,” he said.
“We all agree the traffic issue needs an engineered solution and what we did with our proposal is create a smaller bridge where the Jubilee Bridge used to be.
“Our solution on the southside of The Spit would have met the needs of our development.”
The scrubbing of the project means the proposed congestion-busting infrastructure detailed in the resort’s plan will not be built, forcing city leaders to consider other options.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate yesterday said the traffic plan for the council’s cruise ship terminal proposal was a “part of the business case being developed now”.
The council is considering tenders to widen the Sundale Bridge and upgrade the corner of Waterways Dr and Seaworld Dr.
News of the secret bridgetunnel yesterday fuelled speculation about how the government came to can the ASF bid.
ASF said they were contacted by the Department of
State Development last Friday and told their project would go before Cabinet on the Monday morning.
They provided further detail on the proposal, as requested, they say.
The project was heavily discussed at a six-hour Cabinet meeting at the Gold Coast City Council chambers at Evandale on Monday. Labor party sources said both Tourism and Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones and Treasurer Curtis Pitt spoke in favour of the project.
It was eventually canned late in the day.
State Development Minister Anthony Lynham phoned ASF bosses about 10am on Tuesday and read a brief statement telling them of the government’s decision.
The developer then received a letter shortly before the Premier made the announcement at noon, flanked by Ms Trad, Dr Lynham and Save Our Spit Alliance president Steven Gration.