Road and flood warning upgrades for Fraser Coast

Three Fraser Coast roads and a flood monitoring system will be upgraded as part of the Newman Government’s drive to build stronger infrastructure.

Announcing more than $680,000 funding, Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli said in Maryborough the planned improvements were Fraser Coast Regional Council priorities for the region.

“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel with these projects, but we do need to find ways to make what we’ve got stronger,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“We want to work with councils to drive the best value for money.”

Tribune Street in Maryborough, Bidwill Road at Jumpo Creek and Arborthree Road in Glenwood will be rebuilt to better withstand flooding and reduce the cost of repairs.  An additional automatic flood monitoring system will also be installed on the Mary River, upstream of Tiaro.

Tribune Street is an important access route for sugar cane farms within “The Pocket” area of Maryborough. Upgrading the road will make it more resilient during and after flooding, provide improved access for emergency services and allow local primary producers to transport their produce. 

Works at Bidwill Road will include replacing the pavement and asphalt surface with a concrete floodway, providing a more resilient and safer travel option to Maryborough. This will improve access to emergency services, shops and recreational facilities for Magnolia and Bidwill residents.

Arborthree Road will undergo improvements to the concrete floodway to increase the resilience and flood immunity of the road, making it safer for the local school bus and timber haulage contractors from local pine plantations. The improvements will also give residents better access to their properties, local schools, shops, medical services and supplies after major rainfall and flooding. 

The money for the roads has been allocated under the state’s $80 million Betterment Fund, a State Government initiative. It was established after this year’s floods to break the cycle of replacing the same vulnerable infrastructure. Instead, councils can vie for money to build assets to a more resilient standard.

[ENDS] 28 August 2013

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