Grey Street Bikeway & Streetscape Design

The draft preliminary design for the Grey Street Bikeway and Streetscape project has been informed by community input provided during consultation on the Future South Bank Master Plan, as well as further discussions with street stakeholders, local businesses, residents and user groups to understand local access needs.

Key design elements include:

  • A safe, all ages, all-abilities bikeway separated from traffic
  • 50% more footpath space
  • Slower traffic speeds
  • Safer and universally accessible footpaths and crossings
  • 120% more green space

Artist Impression of Indicative Outcome

South Bank Corporation invited feedback from the community on the draft preliminary design from 27 May to 23 June 2024 via an online survey and four community pop-up events.

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback. Feedback gathered will be used to help inform the final preliminary design, estimated to be released in mid-to-late 2024.

Progressing to detailed design and delivery is subject to future consideration by South Bank Corporation and the Queensland Government.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

ABOUT THE PROJECT

  • The objective of the project is to create Australia’s coolest and most vibrant subtropical street that is rideable, walkable and welcoming.
  • The project supports the long-term vision idea from the Future South Bank Master Plan for Grey Street to slow down and calm traffic, make walking, scooting and riding a bike more attractive and safer, and create a vibrant, ‘cool’ and green street.
  • Grey Street has a poor safety record for people riding bikes, with only 1% of trips on Grey Street by bike, but 24% of reported crashes involving people on bikes. 32% of crashes on the street involve pedestrians.
  • The project aims to offer an alternate route to South Bank’s promenade and help address the conflict between pedestrians, people riding bikes and e-scooters. This conflict is only expected to grow with increasing population in the surrounding suburbs.
  • The preliminary design process is exploring design changes to make Grey Street more walkable and rideable, while maintaining core functions of vehicle access, parking and servicing. 
  • The design process considers reallocating street space, reconfiguring kerbs, drainage needs, on-street parking and loading requirements, intersections and crossings, and increasing space for trees and landscaping.
  • The draft design also investigated seamless connections with the surrounding cycle network.
  • The scope of the project is preliminary design only. It does not include detailed design or delivery.
  • Progressing to detailed design and delivery is subject to future consideration by South Bank Corporation and the Queensland Government.
  • The preliminary design does not include detailed lighting, signage, line marking, utilities, materials, street furniture or detailed landscape design.
  • The preliminary design is being co-funded by South Bank Corporation, with support by the Queensland Government’s Cycle Network Local Government Grants Program.
  • The project is funded for preliminary design only. Funding for detailed design or construction has not been committed.
  • The preliminary design is for Grey Street at South Bank, between Vulture Street and Russell Street.
  • The project does not include the design of Grey Street between Russell Street and Peel Street. Brisbane City Council is delivering on-street bike lanes on this section of Grey Street.
  • The draft design includes a three-metre-wide bi-directional bikeway, protected from traffic, providing a safer environment for riders of all ages and abilities.
  • The draft design widens footpaths and increases public realm by 100%.
  • On-street parking and loading is integrated in 'flex-zones'.
  • Two-way access on Grey Street, and access to all driveways and loading docks will be maintained.
  • Six raised zebra crossings, wider footpaths and slowing the traffic speed to 30 kph will make it easier and safer for people to cross the street.
  • The design replaces the Ernest Street roundabout with a pedestrian priority crossing.
  • Encouraging faster through traffic to use neighbouring arterial routes will reduce the amount of traffic on Grey Street.
  • 58% of people who travel to South Bank walk or ride, but only one third of space on the street is currently available for walking or riding.
  • The draft design doubles the amount of space on the street for people to walk, ride, dine, meet, sit or rest.
  • The draft design unlocks the equivalent of a football field of new public space on the street.
  • This  increased public space creates future opportunities to accommodate large crowds after an event, game or show; and opportunities for pop-up food stalls, more outdoor dining, markets and play.
  • The removal of footpath pergolas on Grey Street will increase the useability of the footpath space, bring more light into the street, and improve flexibility for uses like outdoor dining, markets or pop-up food stalls .
  • Consultation on the draft preliminary design is open for four weeks.
  • Your feedback will help shape the final preliminary design. The preliminary design will be finalised in mid to late 2024.
  • Progressing to detailed design and delivery is subject to future consideration by South Bank Corporation and the Queensland Government.
  • Feedback received during engagement on the Future South Bank Master Plan from November 2022 to January 2023 informed the draft design.
  • During master plan engagement, The Destination Grey Street vision idea was the second top vision idea supported by the community. Improving the active transport network and managing modal conflicts was the most frequently raised theme in written and face to face feedback.
  • The development of the draft preliminary design was also informed by the access needs and priorities of street stakeholders and user groups.
  • Stakeholders were engaged in mid-2023 including cultural, commercial, educational, residential and tourism destinations and user groups in the South Bank precinct.

CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS

  • This project is for preliminary design. A commitment has not been made to advance the project to detailed design or construction.
  • Should the project advance past preliminary design, South Bank Corporation will keep the community and stakeholders informed of expected construction impacts.
  • The draft design transforms Grey Street into a shady, cool, linear urban park with 30% more trees and 120% more green space.
  • While some trees would need to be removed during construction, each tree removed would be replaced with more than two trees replanted as part of the streetscape project.
  • Overall, the draft design results in one third more trees on the street, and more than double the amount of green space in an effort to turn Grey Street green.

TRAFFIC IMPACTS – NETWORK ROLE, CLOSURE, SPEED LIMIT

  • The design project aims to create a slow, people priority street whilst maintaining local vehicular access needs.
  • Two-way vehicle access on the street will be maintained, and access to all driveways and loading docks will also be protected.
  • Through traffic on Grey Street will be encouraged to use neighbouring arterial routes, to improve safety and amenity for people on the street.
  • The draft design proposes reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h to improve safety for people walking and riding on the street.
  • Research tells us that reducing speed limits makes shopping precincts and main streets safer and more attractive to pedestrians, bike riders and public transport users, and adds value to the local economy.
  • Yes, e-scooters can use bikeways under Queensland legislation, with speed restrictions in place. The speed restrictions should improve safety for pedestrians using the footpath and riders using the bikeway.

PARKING/ACCESS IMPACTS

  • Under the draft design, some on-street parking is removed or relocated.
  • The draft design maintains the same amount of loading zones for passenger pick-up and drop-off and commercial vehicles, reflecting feedback received about loading needs on the street.
  • The draft design incorporates flex-zones. This provides flexibility for parking and loading zones to be used as additional footpath space when not being used by vehicles.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IMPACTS

  • South Bank is highly accessible by public transport. Almost 20% of people who travel to or through South Bank use the train, bus or ferry. This is double the average public transport mode share compared to wider Brisbane.
  • The draft design would make it easier to get to and from public transport, by widening footpaths and making it easier and safer for people to cross the street.
  • Provision for the free South Brisbane bus loop will be retained, should this service be continued by Brisbane City Council.
  • In addition, the draft design incorporates coach zones for passenger pick-up and drop-off – one on Grey Street near ABC, and two on Glenelg Street.

FURTHER INFORMATION

  • Community consultation on the draft preliminary design for the Grey Street Bikeway and Streetscape project closed on Sunday 23 June 2024. 
  • However, the community is welcome to contact South Bank Corporation anytime regarding the project by emailing us. 
  • Community consultation on the draft preliminary design for the Grey Street Bikeway and Streetscape project closed on Sunday 23 June 2024.
  • However, the community is welcome to contact South Bank Corporation anytime regarding the project by emailing us.