Bucca Road to do Better

The road prioritised by Bundaberg Regional Council for flood upgrades will be repaired as part of the Newman Government’s push to provide better infrastructure after this year’s floods.

Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli announced in Bundaberg today Bucca Road, which connects small communities to the Gin Gin and Rosedale Roads and is the main alternative route between Bundaberg and Gin Gin when major roads are closed, would be made more flood resilient with $3,122,260 worth of work approved.

“About a third of this 24 kilometre road is single lane with unsealed shoulders that get knocked around from both extreme weather and heavy traffic when other roads close,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“It has to be useable for small communities on the outskirts of Bundaberg if the Bruce Highway closes, but it’s been damaged in 2010, 2011 and again in 2013.

“It’s not good enough to just rebuild it in the same way. The people who rely on Bucca Road deserve better, and now we’ve got the chance to provide it.”

Money for the project will come from the Newman Government’s $80 million Betterment Fund, jointly funded with the Federal Government.

Bundaberg Regional Council will contribute $200,000.

Work will include strengthening the pavements of the main carriageway with an overlay, cement stabilisation and sealed shoulders, and new culverts to redirect overland flows.

“Merely replacing essential public assets was never going to be good enough after we got hit again this year,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“The Newman Government made it a priority to find a way to let communities build stronger, more resilient infrastructure, and the Federal Government eventually agreed with us.

“It will save so much money in the long run if we’re not constantly applying Band-Aid fixes to public assets, but we need more money from the Federal Government to do the job properly.

“With a new government in Canberra, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has the opportunity to look after Queensland for the long term.

 “More money for the Queensland Betterment Fund would mean more money for projects such as Bucca Road.

“We initially asked the Federal Government for $100 million to finish the job, which we promised to match, but we got $40 million.

“The time is now if Mr Rudd wants to do the right thing by Queensland.”

[ENDS] 2 July 2013

Media contact: Andrew Longmire 0418 216 627 / Monica Rostron 0409 126 332