[COM] Torrens Footbridge | $40m

[Wayno]

is this fair? the state govt builds a bridge and requires the ACC (i.e. CBD ratepayers) to pay for its upkeep. In my mind that means the ACC has ~$20k pa less for other CBD work.

The South Australian Government is opposed funding the ongoing maintenance of a new River Torrens footbridge for Adelaide City Council.

SA Transport Minister Patrick Conlon has dismissed paying the council.

"We're not very attracted to that because we act on behalf of the taxpayer. Why would we impose a burden on the taxpayer if we didn't have to?" he said.

Deputy Lord Mayor David Plumridge said the council owned and controlled the other public bridges in the city.

[Waewick]

that is an interesting conundrum
quite frankly it shouldn't be the ACC cost to pay....but please I don't want the first toll in Adelaide to be on a footbridge

perhaps the SMA should be forced to pay for it given they are the main beneficiary of it.

[Mr Smith]

SA Transport Minister Patrick Conlon has dismissed paying the council.

"We're not very attracted to that because we act on behalf of the taxpayer. Why would we impose a burden on the taxpayer if we didn't have to?" he said.

CONLON = IMBECILE.

What does he think ratepayers are, if not taxpayers.

What an absolute WANKER

[cometthecat]

However it is redesigned, just make it look good!

[mattblack]

The state government is not in the business of micro managing. Most of the increased income that will be generated by the redevelopment of the precinct will flow to the ACC through carparking, increased business activity in the CBD and rates. $20,000 is peanuts to what will be coming in.

[Wayno]

Most of the increased income that will be generated by the redevelopment of the precinct will flow to the ACC through carparking, increased business activity in the CBD and rates. $20,000 is peanuts to what will be coming in.

good point - i did not think of that. i think you hit the nail on the head.

[Maximus]

Hmmm....

Concern about width of planned $40 million bridge across the River Torrens to Adelaide Oval
Jesper Fjeldstad
adelaidenow
November 08, 201210:00PM

THE footbridge across the River Torrens to Adelaide Oval is planned to be only 8m wide - up to 4m narrower than football and cricket leaders wanted.

Both SANFL president John Olsen and his SACA counterpart Ian McLachlan asked for a wider bridge, but now fear the $40 million development will be a bottleneck as an estimated 24,000 people seek to use it as they leave the Oval on busy days.

Planning, Transport and Infrastructure department chief executive Rod Hook has moved to ease their concerns, saying best advice had recommended the narrower version.

Mr Hook conceded there would be a squeeze at times but that had to be balanced against having the appropriate design to fit into the city environment.

Mr Olsen said the SMA, a joint venture between football and cricket, had written to the Government requesting a 10m-wide bridge while internationally credentialled consultants had had advised Mr McLachlan 12m was the ideal size, which prompted him to write to the Government.

It came after the initial request from the sporting bodies is understood to have been as wide as 18m.

Among football and crickets chief concerns were:

* Fears people would get frustrated with the bridge and spill up King William Rd as an alternative, creating traffic congestion.
* People being discouraged from using public transport after the bridge was designed to encourage people to take trains from Adelaide Railway Station.
* Simmering frustration among users of the bridge because of the slow-moving flow of traffic.

"We have not been officially advised about this, but it (8m) is too narrow," Mr McLachlan said. "I am extremely disappointed.

"We expected to be briefed about this at the next SMA board meeting this month."

Mr Olsen, speaking from overseas, said he was disappointed with the decision and feared the sporting bodies had no recourse.

"Once it was taken out of the Adelaide Oval budget, I don't think there's anything we can do," Mr Olsen said.

But Mr Hook was confident his office had made the right call, and said it had not been a decision that had been taken lightly. Nor was it made narrower purely as a cost-saving measure.

"We had it well researched," Mr Hook said.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6513295032

[omada]

FFS this is getting ridiculous, just build the goddamned footbridge. Oh and $40 Million now? $40 Million!

[[Shuz]]

$40m is a lot of money for a footbridge! Good golly. Is it made of marble?

8m is still pretty wide-ish. That's about the equivalent of 2.5 car lanes wide, for comparison. Match day crowds will certainly be a bit of a squeeze on there. But from what I understand, they also intend to add on a footbridge to the eastern side of, or widen the eastern footpath on Morphett Street Bridge?

[Port Adelaide Fan]

The state's chief planner Rod Hook joins Keith and John to talk about the Adelaide Oval Footbridge. He denies claims the $40 million bridge will be too narrow.

http://www.fiveaa.com.au/article_new-fo ... all_113925

[Mants]

forgive my ignorance... but how exactly will this cost $40m?
there are so many better things we could spend that money on!

[crawf]

FFS this is getting ridiculous, just build the goddamned footbridge.

+1

[Kasey771]

FFS this is getting ridiculous, just build the goddamned footbridge. Oh and $40 Million now? $40 Million!

Only Adelaide could F*ck@rse about so much over a bloody footbridge:( grr

[serca]

Lets just hope after all this time, debate and money being spent on it they get it right! Will be even more annoying if they go through all this crap only to build a non practical eyesore. Having said that IMO 18m is far to wide yet 8m is too narrow, split the difference yeah.

[Matt]

I can't believe behind the scenes to-ing and fro-ing over the width of a pedestrian bridge actually makes news in Adelaide.

Seriously ridiculous.