Ipswich City Centre cross river connectivity and network resilience
Strong forecast population growth and a single river crossing is expected to place increasing pressure on the transport network in Ipswich. The City of Ipswich's population is expected to expand from approximately 200,000 in 2016 to 520,000 in 2041. In that time, employment is expected to grow from 68,000 to 128,000. These factors will inhibit Ipswich City Council and the Queensland Government to achieve the vision set out in ShapingSEQ for the Ipswich City Centre to service this growth.
The following problems have been identified:
- Congestion in Ipswich City Centre is restricting revitalisation and economic development.
- The single river crossing is compromising connectivity as traffic is directed through Ipswich city centre. 54,000 vehicles are expected to use the existing David Trumpy Bridge by 2026, and 40% of these have an origin or destination outside the city centre area.
- Limited capacity and service life of the existing river crossing restricts opportunities for traffic growth and mode shift.
- Lack of network redundancy during incidents or major events (such as floods) lead to network failure.
Strategic Fit
The proposal aligns with Ipswich City Council’s policy objectives and strategies and the proposal is identified as a constraint in the South East Queensland Regional Transport Plans.
Societal Impact
The underlying problems are considered nationally significant in the medium term, driven by strong growth in population and travel demand. Improved cross river connectivity will also support Ipswich’s flood immunity.
Deliverability
The proponent is considering various responses, including a new river crossing corridor and associated intersection upgrades. Consideration should also be given to non-infrastructure actions as part of the response, including traffic management and mode-shift strategies. The proponent is likely to need to partner with the state and/or Australian Government to progress with project delivery.
The proposal response should also consider broader network integration, beyond river crossing needs, including
compatibility with investigations into the Ipswich to Springfield transport capacity Early-stage Proposal, which is separately included on the Infrastructure Priority List.
Proponent to identify and analyse potential investment options (Stage 2 of Infrastructure Australia’s Assessment Framework).
Refer to Infrastructure Glossary for terms and definitions.