RECORD SPENDING ON QUEENSLAND ROADS

$13.3 billion will be invested in Queensland roads over the next five years with the Roads Implementation Program reaching another spending milestone.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, said the latest road building program delivers a massive $1.75 billion, or 15 % increase on last year.

“The Roads Implementation Program features nearly 2,500 projects,  including 99 which are new, to built state-wide over the next five years.

“Queensland will spend $2.3 billion next year alone on road construction, that’s more than the $1.9 billion they’ll invest in New South Wales and almost four times that of Victoria.

“The funding boost for Queensland roads is a record breaker, especially when you compare the estimated spend over the next five years with that of the previous five.

“It’s an increase of $5.3 billion over five years, or 67 % to keep the nation’s economic engine room moving and booming.

“To put that in context, $5.2 billion was the total value of the five year roads plan when the Beattie Government came to office in 1998.

“The Queensland Government is committed to delivering the projects that make our roads safer and help meet the needs of a growing state.”

Mr Lucas said more than $3.3 billion would be invested in roads outside the south-east corner over the next five years.

"Every $1 million spent on our roads provides 17 jobs in road construction and related industries.

"We're building on the state's economy and providing a strong, diversified economy through efficient and effective transport,” he said.

Projects funded in the new program include:

South East Queensland

·Continue construction of the $543 million ($423 million - State; $120 million - Australian Government) four-lane bypass on the Pacific Motorway between Tugun and Tweed Heads, with scheduled completion by the middle of 2008.

·Continue the federally-funded upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway between Wacol and Darra ($320 million); continue the upgrade of the Ipswich/Logan Motorway interchange ($255 million); and commence the federally-funded $2.3 billion six-lane Goodna Bypass from Dinmore to the Logan Motorway at Gailes, announced by the Australian Government in March 2007.

·Start to construction of the South West Arterial (Springfield to Ripley to Yamanto extension) at a total estimated cost of $366 million to service new growth areas in Ipswich City, with scheduled completion by mid 2009.

·Duplication of the Sunshine Motorway between Sippy Downs and Pacific Paradise, including the second Maroochy River bridge and major interchanges at Mooloolaba and Maroochydore Road and Pacific Paradise, at a total estimated cost of $290 million.

·Widen the Bruce Highway to six lanes between Uhlmann Road and Caboolture, at a total estimated cost of $183 million.

·Continue construction of the $109.9 million grade separation of the Mt Lindesay Arterial and the rail line at Acacia Ridge ($85 million - State; $25 million - Australian Government).

·Planning and early works for the Western Arterial, (Centenary Highway), as part of the Darra to Springfield Transport Corridor project.

·Start construction of 5km of the new Caloundra-Mooloolaba Road between Caloundra Road and Creekside Boulevard, at a total cost of $75 million.

·Continue construction on the $90.2 million project to duplicate the Mt Lindesay Highway from Green/Fedrick Streets to Rosia Road.

Southern Queensland

·Provision of four lanes on the New England Highway through Highfields, north of Toowoomba, in conjunction with a program of widening, overtaking lanes and intersection improvements north to Crows Nest, at a total estimated cost of $27.3 million.

·Widening and upgrading of Roma-Taroom Road to support oil and gas development and improve regional community access, at a total estimated cost of $29.7 million.

·Route lighting for traffic and pedestrian safety, signal upgrades, intersection improvements and four-laning of various short sections of Ruthven Street in Toowoomba.

·Start to construction of the Bundaberg Ring Road to provide an alternative route from the Isis Highway to the industrial areas and the port to the east of Bundaberg City, at a total estimated cost of $92 million.

·Continue replacement of the single-lane Ward River Bridge and the adjacent two-span, single-lane bridge over Woolshed Gully, on the Diamantina Developmental Road west of Charleville, at a total estimated cost of $11 million.

Central Queensland

·Complete rehabilitation and widening 71 kilometres of the Dawson Highway between Gladstone and Banana, and replace eleven timber bridges in Central Queensland under the Accelerated Road Rehabilitation Program, at a total cost of $78.9 million.

·Duplication of the Forgan Bridge at a total estimated cost of $70.9 million and start to construction of Hospital Bridge at a total estimated cost of $33.6 million.

·Replacement of Sandy Creek Bridge on Homebush Road in Mackay, at a total cost of $8 million.

·Rehabilitation and widening west of Yamala, on the Capricorn Highway (Duaringa-Emerald), at a total cost of $8.9 million.

North Queensland

·Start to construction on Stages 2 and 3 of the Townsville Ring Road, at a total estimated cost of $119.3 million, with $79.5 million provided by the Australian Government.

·Improve flood immunity on the federally-funded Bruce Highway between Corduroy Creek and Banyan Creek, south of Tully, at a total estimated cost of $172.8 million.

·Duplicate North Ward Road in Townsville - between William Street and Ingham Road and between Walker Street and Heatley Parade, at a total estimated cost of $33.8 million.

·Widen the existing narrow formation sections of the Kennedy Highway, south of Mt Garnet, to provide a minimum eight-metre wide sealed pavement, at a total estimated cost of $14 million.

·Widen the single-lane bitumen sections of the Burke Developmental Road, to provide a minimum seal width of eight metres, widening or removing narrow grids and improving visibility through sections of poor alignment, at a total estimated cost of $28 million.

·Continue widening Mulgrave Road in Cairns between Ray Jones Drive (Woree) and the Captain Cook Highway - Sheridan Street - from four to six lanes, at a total estimated cost of $16 million.

Media Contact: Darren Roberts 3237 1947 / 0448 184566.