The intersection of Old Cleveland Rd and Harries Rd in Coorparoo is an example of hostile suburban infrastructure. Simply trying to cross the road to reach the shops can take two beg-and-wait cycles and a long detour. An elderly woman was killed trying to cross the slip lane in 2016, and on Friday evening another person was seriously hurt at the intersection.

Increased urban density makes sense in areas like this which are only 5km from the CBD, but Brisbane’s streets are still designed to prioritise travel by car ahead of local trips walking and cycling.

It’s high time this intersection – and many others around the suburbs – had a serious makeover. Quit the rubbish about “balance” (which is really trading off safety for convenience) and do the things proven to improve safety and amenity: remove uncontrolled slip-lanes or use wombat crossings, provide for pedestrians on all arms of signalised intersections, make those signals more responsive, and provide separate space for cycling. If that make driving less attractive, that’s a good thing. It will encourage more people to walk, ride, or take the bus instead.