Jago Dodson Senior Research Fellow Urban Research Program Griffith University in The Courier Mail 8 September 2010:
The ability to accurately estimate vehicle flows 5 or more years ahead is difficult. Chaotic global factors make it even tougher.
Peak hour vehicle counts on the Story and Captain Cook bridges fell from 2005 to 2010. The public transport boom during that time was likely spurred by disruption from the tunnel building. Such feedback effects are hard to predict.
The strategic transport planning situation has altered radically since Clem7 sods were turned.
The South-East Queensland Transport Plan released last week contains bold proposals to restructure the region around fast rail links.
Climate change is now a giant policy challenge and motor vehicles are among the worst greenhouse gas offenders.
As problems with declining oil resources mount Lloyd’s Insurance company warns of catastrophic impacts from a coming energy crunch.
Building major roads adds to the carbon burden and worsens fossil fuel dependence. Such roads are vulnerable to carbon prices and oil shocks.
At a minimum a moratorium on road tunnelling seems wise at this juncture.
Like ancient dinosaurs wallowing in a tar pit as comets streak their sky the knell is sounding for Brisbane’s toll roads which offer archaeology in place of civic foresight.