Lucas: Costs increasing while Canberra delays Ipswich Motorway decision

An Independent study has proven the State Government’s preferred option for fixing the Dinmore to Goodna stretch of the Ipswich Motorway is a billion dollars cheaper than the Federal Government’s proposed Half Northern Bypass.

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, said the Federal Government’s inability to make a decision is costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, which could be spent on other road projects.

The report by Maunsell Australia has found upgrading the existing motorway between Dinmore and Goodna will now cost $1.14billion.

“Every day they delay, the cost of the fixing the motorway skyrockets,” Mr Lucas said.

Maunsell’s report contrasts with a separate study commissioned by the Federal Government of its preferred Half Northern Bypass option between Dinmore and Gailes.

Mr Lucas said, “While Canberra dithers on a decision, there are media reports the cost of building the Federal Government’s proposed bypass will now exceed $2 billion”

“It is high time the Federal Government released its Half Northern Bypass study, including costings, and made a decision.”

“What’s even more insulting for motorists is the upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway would already be half-finished if the Federal Government had agreed to pull out the cheque book, when asked, in 2003.”

“The Queensland Government has commissioned this independent report to put to bed once and for all the argument over which proposal is cheaper, and ultimately achievable,” Mr Lucas said.

The State Government’s preferred option would see the Ipswich Motorway widened to six lanes and a network of service roads established to carry motorists during construction. Once work finishes the service roads would be used for local traffic to keep short trips off the motorway.

Mr Lucas said the Maunsell Report on upgrading the Ipswich Motorway between Dinmore and Goodna outlines increases in scope when compared with initial estimates. These included the need to provide extra service roads, infill of old coal mines, and additional service relocations.

"Clearly, there have been cost increases, but that’s to be expected on major projects in the current market," Mr Lucas said.

“The jury is back, the Maunsell report is out, and vindicates the State Government’s preferred option and that of just about everyone else but the Federal Government – and it’s still cheaper by $1 billion.”

"Two things are clear here. The first is increases can be expected on major projects in the current climate – that’s a fact of life. But, if we'd had an answer in 2003 to our request for funding, work would be well on the way to completion and it wouldn’t cost as much”

Mr Lucas said, "I will write to my Australian Government counterpart again today to demand he act now and approve the money for an upgrade of this heavily congested goat track, before costs escalate further."

Key virtues of upgrading the existing motorway include the ability to rebuild more than 90 percent of the route away from traffic, as demonstrated by the highly successful revamp of the Pacific Motorway.

Mr Lucas said, "There is no opportunity to stage the Federal Government's proposed half-northern option. Motorists won’t see the benefits until the bypass is actually opened. Queensland's favoured upgrade allows for staging and packaging, giving much faster community benefit while allowing some flexibility in cash flow. If the Federal Government approved Queensland’s preferred option now, motorists could be driving on stage one in 3 years.”

The Queensland Government is pushing ahead with work to upgrade the Ipswich Motorway from Goodna east to Darra. An upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway and Logan Motorway interchange at Gailes starts next week, and work on the Wacol to Darra section, including the Centenary Motorway interchange, is scheduled to start by the middle of the year.

"This is a rapidly growing area, with significant commercial and industrial expansion. I am happy to preserve a corridor along the northern bypass route for the longer term, but, our immediate priority has to be fixing what we’ve got.

"It is vital for the economy, for transport, and for safety of motorists who play Russian Roulette on this motorway every time they use it."

Mr Lucas said it’s now imperative the Federal Government publicly release its latest costings report on the proposed Half Northern Bypass and make a commitment - one way or the other.

A copy of the Maunsell's budget cost review for the upgrade of the existing Ipswich Motorway between Dinmore and Goodna can be downloaded from the Main Roads website. Go to www.mainroads.qld.gov.au and look under the What's New section.

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 3237 1942, Darren Roberts 3237 1947