BUDGET BOOST KEEPS DARLING DOWNS AND SOUTH WEST MOVING

The 2007-08 State Budget includes more than $40 million to kick-start a series of projects to keep the Toowoomba/Darling Downs region moving, Minister for Transport and Main Roads Paul Lucas said today.

Mr Lucas said the Toowoomba, Darling Downs and South West received a massive roads funding boost in the budget, with a series of key projects including:

$17.95 million for road improvements to the New England Highway north of Toowoomba
$12.3 million to continue upgrading the Roma-Taroom Road and
$10.6 million to improve safety along Ruthven Street.

"Overall, the transport portfolio will spend a record $5.53 billion on transport and road infrastructure in 2007-08 - a $2.48 billion allocation for Queensland Transport, rail and ports capital, and $3.05 billion for Department of Main Roads and Queensland Motorways Limited capital works.

"That's a huge increase for transport infrastructure of 24.4 percent, or $485.9 million, and for Main Roads capital works a massive 54 percent increase, or $1.07 billion," Mr Lucas said.

Mr Lucas said the $17.95 million for the provision of the New England Highway would continue a $27.26 million program for road works on the New England Highway. This work stretched from Highfields to Crows Nest, including four-laning the New England Highway through Highfields as well as widening, intersection improvements and overtaking lanes on the section north to Crows Nest.

"The funding will continue work to complete the widening of the New England Highway to four lanes from Cawdor Road to Reis Road," Mr Lucas said.

Mr Lucas said the upgrading of the Roma-Taroom road between the Carnarvon Highway and the Spring Gully turn-off and further sections in Taroom Shire is expected to be completed in late 2009 and represents significant economic benefits to the region in terms of shorter travel time.

“It will cut the travel times and costs for the transport industry from Roma to Central Queensland, Mr Lucas said.”

$5.429 million is also allocated in 2007-08 to continue work on for the Toowoomba Bypass. Mr Lucas said this funding would be used to complete the pilot tunnel and develop the Public Private Partnership (PPP) business case for the Toowoomba Bypass.

The 524m-long pilot tunnel will be built by AKVO Mining Pty Ltd.

"The 2.4m-wide by 3m-high pilot tunnel will give Main Roads and contractors a better picture of what to expect if the planned twin, three-lane tunnels are built as part of the full bypass," he said.

"The pilot tunnel will be drilled through an area below the New England Highway, south of Mt Kynoch."

The business case to consider PPP options for the bypass is due to be completed by December 2007. This involves establishing the volumes and types of traffic that would use a bypass as well as options for road tolls.

"The Bypass will revolutionise Toowoomba's traffic. At present, the Toowoomba Range crossing forces heavy vehicles to stop and start at 15 sets of traffic lights with a further six expected in future. The Federal Government has not yet committed to funding the full bypass.

Today's Budget announcements also form a part of the new, record five-year, $13.3 billion Roads Implementation Program (RIP). The RIP includes roads funding allocations totalling $589 million for projects programmed over the next five years across Toowoomba, the Darling Downs and the south west.

"Toowoomba and southern Queensland motorists and visitors will benefit from the record spending on roads in the State Budget and the five-year RIP”, Mr Lucas said.

RaiI infrastructure will also benefit in this budget with $1.6 million provided for rail safety improvements on the Toowoomba Range rail line and new signalling equipment at Toowoomba.

Media contact: Robert Hoge 3237 1942 or

Darren Roberts 3237 1947