Lindum Connection Road Project:

5.2 Existing Conditions Assessment

5.2.1 Introduction

The LRO feasibility design is more or less concerned with making improvements on infrastructure provisions. The existing infrastructural facilities must therefore be appreciated and properly summarized. As Bowen, Kreuter and Fernandez (2010) and Tabish and Jha (2011) posit, this section is very crucial as it locates on plan to suitable scale and summarises the following existing infrastructure elements: Carriageways including channelization and line marking, layout of intersections, traffic control devises and signage, road hierarchy designation of all roads and streets, access to properties, car parking facilities, pedestrian facilities, cyclist/wheeled recreation device facilities, railway lines and stations, bus stops, and other transit infrastructure.

5.2.2 Summary of Existing Infrastructure Elements

The LRO project will affect the following existing roads sections: Lindum road, North road, Kianawah road, Tilley road, Mt. Cotton road, Grieve road, Rochedale road, Logan road, and Compton road (Bunker, 2013). The BCC road hierarchy classification perceives the LRO to be a major city distributor that provides connections between various communities and major centres within the Brisbane area (Brisbane City Council, 2008). Specifically, the B40 corridor connects major land uses within the Brisbane area, and has crucial public transport and freight transport functions.

The study area roadways can be characterised into the following traits. Frontage development types, posted speed limit and environmental capacity. The northern part of the Lindum road is light-med while the southern part of the road is light-med industrial drain. The road can allow speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour. From an environmental capacity standpoint, the road can carry a nom. or 20,000 AADT. The western part of the North road is light industrial while the eastern part of the road is detached dwellings. This road can allow a speed of up to 60 kilometres per hour and a normal environmental capacity of 20,000 AADT. The northern part of Sibley road is local shops, railway station, while the southern part is local shops and detached dwellings. The road can allow speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour and a normal environmental capacity of 20,000 AADT. On the other hand, the eastern part of Kianawah road is made up of detached dwellings while the western side is detached dwellings. Finally, and as Bunker (2013) shows, the road can allow speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour and a normal 20,000 AADT environmental capacity.

Lindum road has a road reserve width of 20 metres, a cross section of 2 undivided lanes and channelization. Further, the road has a carriageway width of 7.5 to 12.0 metres, a normal lane width of 3.25 metres, an unmarked shoulder width, northern and southern flowing property accesses, and unmarked bicycle lanes. However, this road lacks footpaths. North road is much bigger than Lindum road in terms of size. This road (North road) has a 20 metres road reserve width, 2 undivided lanes, turn pocket, and channelization. In addition, this road has a 12.0 metres wide carriageway, a normal 6.0 metres wide lane, unmarked shoulders, eastern and western flowing property accesses, unmarked bicycle lanes, and concrete paved footpaths. On the other hand, Sibley road has 20 metres wide road reserve, 2 undivided lanes and channelization, 8.0 to 12.0 metres of carriageway, a normal 4.0 metres of normal lane, unmarked shoulders, northern and southern flowing property accesses, unmarked bicycle lanes and concrete paved footpaths. As Bunker (2013) shows, Kianawah road has a 20 metres of road reserve, 2 lanes and channelization cross section, 10.5 to 12.0 metres wide carriageway, normal 5.0 wide lanes, unmarked shoulders, eastern and western flowing property accesses, unmarked bicycle lanes, concrete paved footpaths.

The study area has public transport 223 and 224 bus routes. Route 223 is neighbours the 006193 Lindum Station and Sibley while route 224 neighbours 006194 Lindum Station and Sibley road (Brisbane City Council, 2009). Both routes are 2 minutes walking time, but route 223 has a clockwise loop orientation while route 224 has an anti-clockwise loop orientation. Both routes has their terminus at Wynnum Plaza, but route 223 takes between 39 to 55 minutes in travel time while route 224 takes between 35 to 55 minutes in travel time. During weekday peak frequency, it takes 45 minutes for route 223 and 40 minutes for 224, however, it takes the same amount of time (60 minutes) for both routes during off peak weekday frequency. The weekday hours of service are between 07:01 and 18:05 for route 223 and between 07:22 and 18:17 for route 224. Saturday’s frequency is 60 minutes for both routes while Saturday hours of service is between 08:51 and 16:54 for route 223 and between 08:27 and 16:29 for route 224. According to Bunker (2013), there is no Sunday frequency and Sunday hours of service for route 223 while the Sunday frequency for route 224 is 60 minutes and its Sunday hours of service is between 08:27 and 16:29.

The study area public transport Cleveland rail schedule is not as complex. During peak periods it takes about 35 minutes to travel by train to central station, while it takes 7.5 minutes during weekday frequency (Brisbane City Council, 2009). During off peak periods it takes about 34 minutes travel by train to central station, and between 30 and 20 minutes during weekday frequency. Weekday hours of service is between 05:18 and 00:20 (01:19F) while Saturday frequency is 30 minutes and Saturday hours of service is between 05:21 and 01:19. Lastly, Bunker (2013) shows that the study area Sunday frequency is either 60 minutes or 30 minutes and Sunday hours of service are between 06:51 and 23:19.

5.2.3 Conclusion

This section of the LRO feasibility design has captured the existing infrastructure facilities within the study area. It captures the various roads that will be affected by the project, that is, the Lindum road, North road, Kianawah road, Tilley road, Mt. Cotton road, Grieve road, Rochedale road, Logan road, and Compton road. These roads are further characterised into frontage development types, posted speed limit and environmental capacity. Specifically, the Lindum road, North road, Sibley road, and Kianawah road have an assortment of physical attributes including detached dwellings and industrial drains. These roads support public transport bus routes and public transport Cleveland rail routes which serves the study area throughout the clock.

References

Bowen, D.J., Kreuter, M., and Fernandez, M. (2010). How we design feasibility studies. Am. J. Prev. Med., 38(5): 452-457.

Brisbane City Council (2008). Wynnum West neighborhood plan. [Online], Available at: http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/planning-guidelines-and-tools/city-plan-zones-codes/city-plan-2000-document/chapter-4-local-plans/ (Accessed September 08, 2013).

Brisbane City Council (2009). Wynnum-Manly West neighborhood plan. [Online], Available at: http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/planning-guidelines-and-tools/city-plan-zones-codes/city-plan-2000-document/chapter-4-local-plans/ (Accessed September 08, 2013).

Bunker, J. (2013). ENB476 civil design project: Lindum rail overpass feasibility design study. Queensland University of Technology Press.

Tabish, S.Z.S. and Jha, K.N. (2011). Important factors for success of public construction projects. 11th International Conference on Construction and Project Management IPEDR, 15: 64-68.