Brisbane to become an even better destination for walking

Safety, shade, and accessibility are the focus of a new strategy that will help make Brisbane more walkable with our just released Walkable Brisbane Strategy 2023 draft. 

Brisbane Civic Cabinet Chair for Transport Ryan Murphy today released the new draft Walkable Brisbane Strategy and invited residents to have their say.

“Brisbane is the fastest growing capital in Australia, and we’re committed to maintaining our city’s incredible lifestyle,” Cr Murphy said.

“Keeping Brisbane moving, regardless of whether you drive a car, take a bus or walk, is a key priority for our Council as our city continues to grow.

 “Our new draft Walkable Brisbane Strategy outlines our plan to enhance the experience of walking in Brisbane for residents and visitors.

“This vision is focused on delivering safe, shady and accessible connections to make walking as easy and comfortable as possible.”

“Initiatives such as Council’s award-winning Active School Travel program already encourages residents to stay active and healthy, and the Walkable Brisbane Strategy expands on our commitment to supporting active travel modes.”

The Walkable Brisbane Strategy identifies walking as a key transport mode and aims to encourage residents to walk through six key principles:

• Comfortable and enjoyable: walking in Brisbane is a pleasant and appealing experience.
• Connected and legible: Brisbane’s network of pathways and public spaces is easily navigated and connects residents and visitors to where they want to go.
• Safe: walking in Brisbane is a safe travel option at all times of day and night.
• Inclusive: walking is a viable option for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
• Fit-for-purpose: streets and public spaces meet the needs of people walking in them.
• Informed: enhanced data collection and analysis will improve pedestrian planning and ensure that investment in walking programs and infrastructure is most effectively targeted.

Cr Murphy said key outcomes of the strategy included the retrofitting of shade to Council assets to improve walkability, introducing a shared path hierarchy and planting a greater variety of shady trees.

“Shading Victoria Bridge will significantly enhance walkability between South Brisbane and the heart of the CBD, particularly during the hotter months of the year.”

Cr Murphy said the strategy also included the development of a Pedestrian Network Plan, which will prioritise planning and investment in upgraded footpaths and shared paths along key pedestrian routes.

“These are areas that connect popular destinations, including schools, local businesses, hospitals, public transport hubs, and parks and green space,” he said.

Cr Murphy said Council will continue to prioritise pedestrian safety, particularly on shared paths.

“Council will investigate the introduction of speed limits in busy pedestrian areas that are shared with cyclists and e-mobility users,” he said.

In addition, Council will review the species of street trees which are planted in Brisbane to optimise for shading in a humid subtropical city.

“Residents of all ages, abilities and backgrounds will benefit from new wayfinding signage and accessibility features on key routes, including tactile signage, braille trails, rails and wider kerb ramps.”

Cr Murphy said Council’s suite of major projects already underway would seamlessly connect pedestrian-friendly pathways.

“We’ve already undertaken the largest-ever investment in active transport infrastructure in our city’s history with our Green Bridges Program,” Cr Murphy said.

Council is now seeking community feedback on the draft Walkable Brisbane Strategy, with residents encouraged to have their say online by 27 July 2023.

Download the plan Walkable Brisbane Strategy 2023 and have you say at https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-and-transport/transport-plan-for-brisbane/creating-a-walkable-brisbane/walkable-brisbane-strategy

Since being elected in 2012, we’ve planted hundreds of street trees and thousands of plants in new garden beds in our wider footpaths of Central Ward.  

I’m sure you will have seen the benefits of our intensive plantings along : 

• Boundary Street Spring Hill from St Paul’s Tce to Fortescue Streert  (Acacia leiocalyx with its distinctive long cynctrical flowers).
• Gregory Terrace Spring Hill (Tabebuia rosea).
• Brunswick St Fortitude Valley’s new pine trees – near to Water Street.
• Brunswick Street New Farm with its continuation of the Colvillea Racemose theme.  
• The significant amount of Tabebuia aurea and garden plantings along Merthyr Road,
• The plantings along Boundary Street Spring Hill, from St James College to Leichhardt Street (Acacia leiocalyx)
• All the new pine trees and garden beds along Bowen Bridge Road at Herston near the Old Museum.
• Commercial Road at Doggett Street near Wallace Bishop, (Acacia leiocalyx)
• The new Harpullia trees along Kent between James and Brunswick, and
• Skyring Terrace near Nouvelle where we were really pleased to work with the Body Corporate to reinvigorate their stretch of what was barren Skyring Terrace.  From one single tree we’ve turned it into a tree lined area for everyone to enjoy a shadier walk.

Our Central Ward tree planting drive is going really well this year – locally you may have seen all our new street trees in Balfour, Harcourt, Kent, Sydney, the Oxlade Drive end of Bowen Terrace , that have been placed in the last 2 years in New Farm alone.

Bowen Terrace is next on our agenda and has indeed been scoped for tree planting and larger surround cut outs in the existing trees.

Residents will have also seen that we have recently planted in James Street, between Heal and Harcourt, and St Paul’s Terrace and Gregory Terrace Spring Hill are currently being scoped for plantings.

There were hardly any trees along any of these busy thoroughfares before 2012. 

It will always be difficult in some of our narrow footpath areas – we must keep the correct tolerance width for those in wheelchairs and parents with prams – but the above extensive list of wider footpaths shows we have had great success.

Take my local survey below if you have a local footpath that needs maintenance inspections.