Rail overpasses a light among council budget gloom

Today's announcement Brisbane City Council will go ahead with two new rail overpasses is straight from the LNP's 2012 Brisbane City Council election campaign.

It is likely to be a shining light in what is expected be a tough budget for ratepayers.

Cr Quirk has acknowledged Brisbane ratepayers will see a rates increase of close to five per cent, almost three times last year's rates increase of 1.79 per cent.

On April 26, he told reporters he expected rates to increase by "no more" than five per cent in 2012-13.

"I don't see it as being any more than 5 per cent," he said as he unveiled his election costings.

"That would be the absolute tops. I would expect it to be under 5 per cent."

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk made $1.2 billion in election promises during the 2012 election campaign, with most of those also likely to feature in Wednesday's budget.

Underground tunnelling of the Legacy Way tunnel from Toowong to Bowen Hills is likely to be the biggest infrastructure project.

However work on Brisbane's new Riverwalk could begin in early 2013.

Other election promises include:

• $1 million for pedestrian countdown counters in Brisbane CBD intersections;

• $71 million to make buses and ferries disability-compliant;

• $40 million set aside for a new Riverwalk under the Story Bridge that could start in 2013;

• $40 million was last year set aside for Howard Smith Wharves project under Story Bridge;

• $169 million for 360 Brisbane City Council's buses over the next four years;

• changes to Brisbane's CityCycle program, possibly linking it to Go Cards.

- with Tony Moore