NORTHBANK

With the current Queensland Government announcing of the renewal of Government Administrative Precinct, the development of Number 1 William Street and the revamp of the Old State Library, the debate surrounding the future of Northbank once again rears its head.

A submission was made to the Government regarding Northbank back in 2008. We continue to feel that our ideas are relevant.

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Proposals for development of the Northbank of the river must facilitate a seamless connection between the existing CBD and the river front: such connection cannot be achieved without the future removal of the elevated expressway structure.

An example of a successful waterfront development is Northbank’s neighbour, Town Reach, or commonly referred to as the Eagle Street precinct.

The attributes which have secured this address as a success include:
__Buildings having a street address and river orientation
__A seamless connection between foreshore and city
__Safe and pleasant pedestrian and cyclist accessibility
__Building forecourts taking advantage of the riverfront
__River boating activity providing transport options for the populace
__Uninterrupted by the unsightly Riverside Expressway

It is proposed that the city should elevate its thinking by considering life without the elevated freeway. Significant examples of removal/reconfiguration can be found in other well know cities such as Seattle, Toronto and Montreal‐ where it has been recognised that specialised vehicular arteries do notrepresent the highest and best use for potentially valuable waterfront real estate.

EXEMPLARS

Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle
The removal of an existing two-storey motorway in favour of a boulevard and tunnel, regenerating the once industrial-only waterfront precinct.

Existing

Proposed

Gardiner Waterfront Revitalisation, Toronto
The removal of the existing freeway to renew the waterside urban district with green spaces and greater pedestrian access.

Existing

Proposed

Existing

Proposed

Bonaventure Expressway, Montreal
The expressway removal proposes that by eliminating large amounts of vehicular traffic, the waterfront precincts can be revitalised and better utilised by residents, workers and vistors.

Existing

Proposed

PROPOSAL FOR NORTHBANK
The freeway from Captain Cook Bridge to Coronation Drive should be buried if necessary to allow the CBD to cascade down to the river edge rather than being cut off by a concrete barrier wall.

Riverside Freeway section to be relocated underground

Reclaimed CBD view corridors from South Bank

Better still, the city could consider whether it in fact needs the freeway connection at all, and whether by DISPERSING vehicle movements into the existing city grid it actually creates a better traffic environment than the current situation which CONCENTRATES traffic within a restricted access road‐ribbon.

A design submitted for Northbank redevelopment which retains the Expressway

Our Proposal: Black areas represent Real Estate that can be reclaimed by removing or 'burying' the Expressway

So it seems short‐sighted to only consider options for Northbank which are based on the LONG‐TERM RETENTION of the elevated expressway. It would be ideal if our city could maintain the flexibility to, at some future time REMOVE the elevated freeway structures from the Northbank river edge.

Our concern is that current proposals for Northbank – by their accommodation of and working around the existing structures – will mean that there will be no future chance of removing the elevated roads and reconnecting the riverfront directly with the life of the CBD. It is our view that building over and around freeway structures is a poor compromise – both for the new
buildings/public amenities and for the ongoing use of the freeway.

A design submitted for Northbank redevelopment which retains the Expressway

Our Proposal: Green areas represent Public spaces that can be reclaimed by removing or 'buryng' the Expressway

Burying or removing the freeway will unlock significant quantities of real estate that have hitherto been sterilized and unusable. Additionally the unlocked real estate will be capable of development in a conventional fashion – as opposed to contending with the structural gymnastics and tenure issues inherent in developments above and around functioning freeways. The Government’s requirement for “…no net cost to taxpayers…” can be achieved by progressive sale of unlocked real estate using a similar procedure to that adopted at Southbank.