Published Monday, 15 November, 2004 at 12:00 AM
Minister for Transport & Main Roads
The Honourable Paul Lucas
FAR NORTH BENEFITS FROM RECORD $8B QUEENSLAND ROADS BOOST
Mr Lucas said today that the 2004-05 to 2008-09 Roads Implementation Program (RIP) boosted Queensland roads spending by a massive $2.1 billion or 36 per cent on last year.
"In the next five years, Queenslanders can expect to see a sharp increase in road-building work - the funding we're providing guarantees that," Mr Lucas said. "There will be record numbers of graders and bitumen-laying machines getting on with the job of building and upgrading roads.
"Queensland already spends more per capita on roads than NSW, Victoria and Australian states overall - and now we are increasing our lead even more." More than $506 million will be spent in Northern Region during the next two years - an increase of $22 million on last year.
Mr Lucas said the RIP, which is the Queensland Government's annual roads funding program, would deliver safer roads and help maintain 22,600 jobs in roads and related industries across the state.
Rural and regional Queensland will get an increase this year of $430 million.
Mr Lucas said state government funding for roads in Far North Queensland had a strong emphasis on safety, both in urban and remote areas, and on supporting the region's continuing strong growth.
Cairns
In Cairns' urban area, $7.3 million is provided for improving safety and reducing traffic congestion by supporting public transport.
Traffic lights will be installed at several intersections, with an allocation of $3.4 million, including the Captain Cook Highway's intersections with Endeavour Road and Smith Street, known locally as Sheridan Street, and at the intersection of Anderson Street and McNamara Street.
Work on the Endeavour Road traffic lights will begin in late 2004, while the other two projects will be carried out in 2005-06.
Safety improvements at the Captain Cook Highway roundabouts at its intersections with Cairns Western Arterial Road (formerly Brinmead/Kamerunga Road) and Trinity Beach Road will be carried out in 2005-06. The work involves applying anti-skid surfacing, changing linemarking and removing kerbing on the exit leg, and is similar to work carried out mid-year on the federally-funded Black Spot project at Machans Beach and Holloway's Beach roundabouts.
Funding of $2 million has been allocated to begin bus priority works, at a total cost of $3 million.
Preventative rehabilitation work will be completed on the Barron River Bridge in Cairns, by the end of the year, at a total estimated cost of $1.2 million.
The state government also is providing $2.924 million to Cairns City Council as part of the TIDS program, to construct a new bridge and road approaches at Rice's Gully, on the Redlynch Intake Road, in Cairns' western suburbs, to replace the existing low-level floodway and improve wet weather access for residents. The project will eliminate the last low-level crossing on the road, responding to community concerns. The funding is part of an agreement between the state government and council, with council now taking responsibility for Redlynch Intake Road.
For the Kuranda Range Road upgrade (Kennedy Highway, Cairns-Mareeba) $479,000 is provided to complete planning and preliminary design work, as part of a total allocation of $4.4 million for planning work.
On the Captain Cook Highway between Cairns and Mossman, $3.45 million is allocated for ongoing safety improvements, including projects to widen and seal shoulders on the winding section between Buchans Point and Yule Point, and on federally-funded Black Spot projects near Red Cliff Point and near the Buchan Point car park.
Johnstone Shire
In Johnstone Shire, the state government has provided $4m to complete a new, 125m-long, two-lane, high-level bridge over the South Johnstone River, on the Innisfail-Japoon Road, by early 2005. The project fulfils an election commitment by the Beattie Government, and includes upgrading of the road approaches and the intersection of No.6 Branch Road to improve safety.
Also on the Innisfail-Japoon Road, two smaller, narrow bridges will be upgraded, at Scheu and Gracey Creeks, with an allocation of $2.6 million. Work is expected to begin on Gracey Creek and on Scheu Creek in early 2005.
Mareeba Shire
In Mareeba Shire, $1.5 million is provided for the Mareeba-Dimbulah Road, for a project to widen and seal between Chettle and Barbetti Roads, to improve safety. The project follows on from resealing work carried out on various sections in 2003-04 to protect the road's surface. A total of $3.1 million has been set aside for projects on the Burke Developmental Road, between Dimbulah and the shire boundary, for sealing works, drainage improvements and reseals.
Also on the Tablelands, $1.45 million is allocated for the Gillies Highway, also known locally as the Atherton-Gordonvale Road, to rehabilitate and widen a section near Marks Lane. Widening and sealing work will also be carried out on two sections of the Kennedy Highway, between Ravenshoe and Mt Garnet, with funding of $1.46 million. The projects will be carried out west of Russian Gully in 2004-05 and north of Nettle Creek in 2005-06. Further south on the Kennedy Highway, between Mt Garnet and The Lynd, $650,000 is allocated for widening and sealing work.
Peninsula Developmental Road
On the Peninsula Developmental Road, the Beattie Government has allocated $16.8 million for projects in 2004-05 and 2005-06, with a $1.3 million final contribution from a federally-funded, $5 million Roads of National Importance (RoNI) allocation. This also includes several projects funded through the Smart State Building Fund.
On the Peninsula Developmental Road from Lakeland to Laura, $7.3 million is provided for two jointly funded state/federal projects, under the Roads of National Importance (RoNI) Program. It allows work to be completed by the end of the year on a project to extend bitumen seal south of Laura, along a 7.8km section between the Laura River and Coalseam Creek. $3.55 million has also been provided for the second project, to seal a section south of Kennedy Creek. Work on this project will begin in mid-2005.
From Laura to Coen, on the Peninsula Developmental Road, upgrades worth $7.5 million have been fully funded by the Beattie Government, for projects to seal several sections and to carry out floodway improvements. The extension of bitumen sealing will be carried out on a 5km section near Yarraden Station, a section near Red Blanket Creek, north of Three Sisters (a Smart State Building Fund project) and near Fairview Jumpup. Floodway improvements will be carried out at various locations including Healy and Deadhorse Creeks, Five Mile and Ten Mile Creeks, and Red Blanket Creek.
On the northern-most section of the Peninsula Developmental Road, from Coen to Weipa, a total of $1.5 million has been provided, for sealing and gravel re-sheeting works.
Cook Shire
The state government is honouring its commitment to complete bitumen sealing of the Cooktown Developmental Road by Christmas 2005, with $43.5 million provided for projects to seal the remaining unsealed sections and construction of new bridges.
The funding will allow completion by Christmas 2004 of a project to reconstruct and seal the 4.1km section between Little Annan River and Scrubby Creek, on which work began in mid 2004.
It also covers reconstruction and sealing of the 11.8km section between Scrubby Creek and Sackleys Hill, on which work began in mid-2004 and should be finished by the end of 2005.
Work will begin after the 2005 wet season and be completed by the end of 2005 on reconstruction and sealing of the section between East Normanby River to West Normanby River.
Reconstruction and sealing of the Sackleys Hill to East Normanby River section also will be carried out. This project will be completed by the end of 2005.
The funding also covers new bridges to be built at the East and West Normanby River crossings and Whitehouse Gully. The new bridges will be completed by the end of 2005.
Also in Cook Shire, $1.25 million is provided to seal a section of Endeavour Valley Road, from the end of the existing bitumen to the Poison Creek turn-off, in 2005-06.
Gulf Developmental Road
On the Gulf Developmental Road, $2.6 million to widen and seal some single-lane sections, in Croydon Shire between Normanton and Croydon, and, in Etheridge Shire, between Croydon and Georgetown and the Newcastle Range section between Georgetown and Mt Garnet.
Under the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS) subsidies totalling $32.13 million are provided to local government and indigenous community councils. Two-thirds of this funding will go to community councils through Cape York and the Torres Strait, to assist them to upgrade vital infrastructure to improve quality of life and access for residents in remote communities.
Federally-funded national highway projects include completion of widening the Bruce Highway to six lanes on Cairns' southern approaches, between Sheehy and Foster Roads, due to be finished by the end of 2004, with $6.6 million allocated; and a $2 million allocation for safety improvements to the McGowan Drive/Bruce Highway intersection in Innisfail with the construction of a roundabout.
Media inquiries: Paul Childs 3237 1942 or 0407 131 654.