Toowoomba Second Range Crossing underway

Published Friday, 31 January, 2014 at 11:00 AM

Treasurer and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Tim Nicholls

The Newman Government is wasting no time getting on with the job of delivering the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, with the Register of Interest now open, Treasurer Tim Nicholls said today.

Mr Nicholls said the joint Commonwealth and Queensland Government funding commitment meant the $1.7 billion, 41 kilometre road project would be shovel-ready in 2015, driving Queensland’s economic growth by creating jobs and providing a gateway to the state’s resource-rich Surat Basin.

“We’re already getting on with the big job ahead, with Projects Queensland to start a procurement process from today, with an Expressions of Interest process to follow,” Mr Nicholls said.

“The Toowoomba Second Range Crossing is one of our Government’s top three infrastructure priorities along with the Bruce Highway and the Underground Bus and Train project, and we welcome the $1.3 billion in Commonwealth funding needed to make this project a reality.

Mr Nicholls said more than 1,800 new jobs would be created during the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing project, with the $1.3 billion Commonwealth commitment representing the single largest regional road infrastructure investment in Queensland’s history.

“The importance of this project for Queensland’s economy cannot be overstated,” he said.

“Modelling shows over the next 30 years, the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing will help bring about a $2.4 billion increase in productivity in the Toowoomba region alone, boosting national productivity by $3.1 billion.”

Construction on the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing project is expected to begin by early 2015 and completed in mid-2018.

The Registration of Interest document is available on the Projects Queensland website (link at www.qld.gov.au/tsrc), and registrations close 7 March 2014.

 

[ENDS] 31 January 2014

Media Contact: Treasurer’s office 3719 7200

NB: A fly-over video link of the site, image library and fact sheets are available at www.qld.gov.au/tsrc