Brisbane City Council will work with the State Government to improve safety at two notorious Brisbane level crossings.

More than $280 million will be spent to construct vehicle overpasses at Geebung and Brakenridge.

Emilie Gramenz reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The open level crossing at Geebung train station sees, on average, two road accidents and 15 near misses a year.

Three people have lost their lives here.

That’s prompted the Brisbane City Council to act to remove the risk.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk says there’s more to come.

Graham Quirk, Brisbane Lord Mayor: “We need to look and see what we can do and when we can afford to do it. There are other open-level crossings that need attention. No question about that.”

The Geebung crossing has now been fast tracked after first being identified as a black spot in 2004.

Graham Quirk, Brisbane Lord Mayor: “There are fifteen minute delays at this intersection in peak periods, so this is an important project. This is a very busy rail line, it’s going to get busier into the future.”

There’s already been 27 vehicle collisions at open level rail crossings in south east Queensland this year alone. Each one causes lengthy delays to thousands of commuters.

Two Brisbane-based companies will design and construct the Geebung project, creating a hundred jobs in the region.

The State Government will put up half the funds for both projects.

Steve Minnikin, Assistant Qld Transport Minister: “The State Government recognises the Brisbane City Council have, for several years now, looking for a 50-50 contribution and we’re delighted now that there was a change of government to actually do just that.”

Construction at Geebung will start next year and is due for completion in 2014.

Emilie Gramenz, QUT News.