Crossing the divide

Bridge network to ease congestion

A NETWORK of pedestrian bridges will be rolled out as a solution to the Gold Coast’s congestion nightmare.

The Gold Coast City Council is preparing to fund a raft of “green” bridges which will run between major population areas in a bid to get people out of their cars and onto the shoe leather.

The bridges, along with the light rail extension and ferry service, are part of a “congestion-busting” series of projects which city leaders say will help improve travel times.

The first bridge proposed will connect central Surfers Paradise with Chevron Island. Mayor Tom Tate said the bridge would be used by locals and tourists.

“It is my vision that we have another green bridge so you can walk from Lionel Perry Park at the end of Cavill Ave to Chevron Island,” he said.

“This will complete the loop and means everyone from Surfers Paradise will be able to walk to the Home of the Arts. They can walk or catch a ferry.”

It will run between Lionel Perry Park at the river-end of Cavill Ave to Austin Gilchrist Park on the Island.

Early planning has already begun with the intention of funding it in the 2020-21 financial year.

A $19.5 million green bridge is already under construction connecting Chevron Island to Evandale.

But the Chevron Island bridge will be just the first of a series of green bridges which council is planing to roll out by 2023.

They include:

●A bridge at Reedy Creek at Old Coach Road.

●Design for a bridge between Isle of Capri’s Etna Street and Gooding Park in Surfers Paradise

Design for a bridge connecting Broadbeach Waters’ Eady Ave to Savoy Drive.

These bridges are among 54 major transport projects that council is planning to roll out in the next four years as part of $544 million decongestion push which was triggered by unexpectedly rapid population growth.

Griffith University transport expert Dr Matthew Burke said the bridges served both a congestion reducing and economic development role

“We are recognising the value these bridges have, not just for transport but in terms of tourism dispersal and local economic development,” he said.