Bridge opens ahead of schedule

The University of Queensland is welcoming the official opening of Brisbane’s first pedestrian, cycle and bus bridge almost two months ahead of schedule.

The bridge linking Dutton Park and the University’s St Lucia campus will open on Sunday, December 17, 2006, with pedestrians and cyclists able to cross it for the first time.

There will be a number of access points for pedestrians and cyclists crossing the bridge.

A map of these can be downloaded here.

Over the next few months, three new bus services will progressively come into operation, crossing the bridge.

They are:
• route 109 between the City and UQ, via Cultural Centre, South Bank & Mater Hill busway stations, commencing Monday, December 18, 2006.

• route 169 between Garden City and UQ, via Griffith University, Holland Park West, Greenslopes and Buranda busway stations, commencing Monday, February 19, 2007.

• route 209 between Carindale and UQ, via Old Cleveland Rd and Buranda busway station commencing Monday, February 19, 2007.

A network map and timetable of these services is available here.

Passengers travelling to UQ on rail and other bus services will be able to transfer to these services at the busway stations along each route.

To mark the opening, University staff and students are invited to enjoy a free family day featuring activities, entertainment and food and beverage stalls.

Activities will be held on both Dutton Park and UQ parklands sides of the bridge from 10am to 1pm.

The opening will also mark the official naming of the bridge. It will lose its working title of Green Bridge and be called the Eleanor Schonell Bridge.

The name honours the late Dr Eleanor Schonell, who made an internationally recognised contribution to testing for dyslexia.

Dr Schonell and her husband, former UQ Vice-Chancellor, the late Sir Fred Schonell developed standardised ways to test children`s academic attainment.

The tests have become the benchmark for measuring a child’s literacy ability and are still used today.

For further information contact TransLink telephone 13 1320 or visit: http://www.translink.com.au/.

Media inquiries: contact Jan King on telephone 07 3365 1120