Traffic bottleneck cleared

A major traffic bottleneck in Brisbane’s south-west has been cleared with the opening of the newest four lane section of the Centenary Highway at Richlands.

The opening of new lanes on the highway is part of the $40 million Boundary Road – Kelliher Road Upgrade – a jointly funded project between the Queensland Government and the Brisbane City Council.

Parliamentary Secretary for Main Roads, Andrew McNamara said the State Government’s $33.8 million contribution represented the lion’s share of the upgrade.

“The extra lane capacity clears a major road bottleneck in Brisbane’s booming south-west, easing the daily queuing ritual on this important section of arterial road.

“It makes for a simpler run to and from home for motorists and delivers vital infrastructure for the continued growth of the area.”

The project removes the need for through traffic to use the Boundary Road - Kelliher Road intersection. Motorists using Kelliher Road will be progressively directed onto the new sections of the Highway over coming weeks.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said the Centenary Highway extension was a positive step towards reducing travelling times to central Brisbane and the southern suburbs of Ipswich.

"Working together, council and the State Government are delivering safer and more efficient infrastructure for the 30,000 motorists who pass through Richlands daily, most of whom work or live in Brisbane," Councillor Newman said.

"Population growth and industrial development continue to drive change in Brisbane's south-western suburbs and Ipswich, with the region's population growing at least three per cent annually."

Mr McNamara said the Boundary Road – Kelliher Road upgrade was a glimpse of a much bigger picture which includes an extension of the Centenary Highway from Springfield to the Cunningham Highway at Yamanto to boost road infrastructure in the western corridor.

“And we’re also moving full steam ahead on connecting Springfield to the QR City train network with preliminary work already underway on a new rail link from Darra,”

“It’s nothing short of a major transport revolution and puts in place the building blocks for one of Australia’s fastest growing regions,” Mr McNamara said.

The Boundary-Round Kelliher Road Upgrade will eventually provide motorists with a four-lane highway link – two northbound and two southbound lanes – below a new bridge at Boundary Road.

A temporary exit from Centenary Highway to Kelliher Road has been built while two longer-term connections to the highway are constructed.

Weather permitting, the project is expected to be complete by October.

The Boundary Road – Kelliher Road Upgrade project is managed by Centenary Link Alliance, a project partnership involving Brisbane City Council, and private companies Bielby Holdings, JF Hull Holdings and Bornhorst + Ward.

Media contact: Darren Roberts 0448 184566.