by Kate Murray
FuturArc (Australia)
1st Quarter, 2011
pp. 72-73
Busways are dedicated roads that separate buses from general traffic, and they provide a reliable, continuous and congestion-free trip along fast, direct routes between the outer suburbs and the centre of a city.
With Brisbane's population set to reach 2.6 million by 2026, the Queensland government is developing an efficient bus network, including the Northern Busway, which connects the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital through to Windsor.
Featured in FuturArc magazine, the Northern Busway is crucial in enabling thousands of people to get to the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital on a daily basis (this number is expected to reach 13,000 by 2016).
Situated along the steep grade of Bowen Bridge Road, several design alternatives for the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital Station were considered, including both elevated and underground configurations.
The above grade option was selected and the undercroft created by the elevated design enabled the development of another functional space along the Bowen Bridge Road – a cycle centre, which is an important amenity that enhances opportunities for active and mixed-mode journeys.
The facility also includes many environmental features, and the performance indicators are prominently displayed to raise public awareness; these include real time solar generation and the number of car journeys offset by the community's use of public transport at the station.
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