Coopers Plains Boundary Road Railway Overpass
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) have an online survey for residents to indicate their preference and provide comments on the Boundary Road rail level crossing removal, which closes on 24 April 2022. You can have your say by filling out the survey on the link below:
https://www.yoursay-projects.tmr.qld.gov.au/boundary-road-cooper-plains-level-rail-crossing
- Option 1 – An overpass with a connection between Orange Grove Road and Breton Street; and
- Option 2 – An overpass with an elevated T-Intersection allowing a right turn from Orange Grove Road.
IN BOTH OPTIONS:
TMR have opted for a mostly elevated roadway structure (consisting of earthen fill and concrete panel retaining wall up to 8m in height) with a very short bridge span, dividing the suburb north/west. Option 2 is even worse, dividing the suburb east/west as well. These are far more visually imposing than a “long flyover” option. A long flyover option would allow through connection of Henley Street and Beenleigh Road, enabling access from all directions on the western side of the rail line. On the eastern side, a flyover would similarly help active transport (pedestrian and bike path). However, an overpass of any kind will increase truck volumes significantly.
Both Options reflect a short-term, piece-meal approach to urban development. It errs in favour of trucks and cars and the price paid is a human-scale Coopers Plains neighbourhood near the crossing. Pedestrians, cyclists, other active transport users and users of public transport are in 3rd place in this Plan.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Replacing the Boundary Road overpass with a short underpass would greatly reduce the visual impact and noise. Freight can and should be diverted in a network-wide heavy vehicle plan to the state-gazetted routes (Kessels Road and Compton Road) to the Gateway Motorway. Cars can be catered for on these local Council roads in a more dispersed plan that reduces congestion on Orange Grove Road, especially between Musgrave and Boundary Roads where the shops, school, churches, park, library, neighbourhood centre and railway station are. This should be a 50klm/hr zone, with cars having three options going south on Orange Grove Rd at Salisbury: 1/ Left to Kessels, right Troughton, right Boundary. 2/ Right on Raiwena Rd., left on Beaudesert Rd. 3/ Right on Musgrave Rd upgraded to link to a left turn on Beaudesert Road. You can say this in TMR’s Survey “8. Other suggestions (open field) points”.
Why have we ended up with these flawed overpass Options after 2 or 3 decades of lobbying? Many reasons, but not least of all because state and local governments do nothing to push back on the federal pressure to keep GDP increasing through population growth (GDP in Australia is not based on real productivity or quality of life improvements). Therefore, TMR is hard-pressed keeping up with the demands to expand infrastructure all over the state. Councils scramble and rush through their developer/donors’ plans despite residents’ opposition.
There is one solution that will make a HUGE difference to all of this: Reduce immigration to the reasonable, historical levels Australia enjoyed before 2005. Please sign this petition to send a message to Canberra during this election. https://www.change.org/BigAustraliaPlebiscite
There are two (2) more TMR in person public consultation sessions scheduled for the following dates:
- Tuesday 19 April 2022, 10:00am – 2:00pm – Sunnybank Plaza (in front of Kmart); and
- Wednesday 20 April 2022, 6:00pm – 8:30pm – Coopers Plains State School (in the school hall).
Videos and further information on the options are available here:
Boundary Road (Coopers Plains), rail level crossing, funding commitment
Equanimity 
Simon, I admire yiur perspicacity and commitment to community life.
I hope that many residents in CP will take up your suggestions
Thank you, Judith.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/perspicacity