Close to $11 million worth of roadworks between Kingsford Smith Drive and Luggage Point to connect the incoming mega cruise ship terminal, to commence in March 2019.
Tenders for the road network upgrade have gone out early November and will close before Christmas. Lord mayor Graham Quirk indicated that half of the cost will be provided by the Council.
The project will involve raising very low flood-risk roads, widening other roads, and improving lighting and safety. Once completed, the project will allow buses and larger vehicles access to the network of roads to connect passengers with hotels and other destinations.
Opposition leader Peter Cumming stressed the importance of the new cruise ship terminal for Brisbane. They support the decision of the council to get involved in the Port of Brisbane’s project considering its impact on tourism. Queensland is Australia’s top cruise destination contributing around $1.1 billion to QLD’s economy whilst Brisbane ranks second to Sydney as the biggest cruise ship port.
Whilst the road upgrade was backed by Labor opposition, outspoken Greens Councillor Sri expressed disapproval over the project. Cr Sri was particularly concerned about the environmental impact of having more cruise ships in Moreton Bay. Independent councillor for Tennyson Nicole Johnston, on the other hand, questioned the council’s decision to fund the other half of the project.
South-East Queensland’s first mega cruise ship terminal
Video Credit: PortofBrisbanePtyLtd
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The road network upgrade entails improvements to be done on Main Myrtletown Road, Priors Road, Bancroft Road, Brownlee Street, Main Beach Road and Marine Road at Pinkenba. Currently, cruise ships more than 270 metres in length berth at the Port of Brisbane’s Fisherman Island whilst smaller ships dock at Portside Wharf at Hamilton.
The new $158 million Brisbane International Cruise Terminal is expected to be completed by mid-2020 and is projected to generate almost $5 billion in economic value to QLD alone within a period of 15 years.
