Published Friday, 21 December, 2007 at 01:09 PM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
New Moonie Highway bridge open to traffic
The new Wilkie Creek bridge on the Moonie Highway, south-west of Dalby, has been opened to traffic.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the replacement of the timber bridge with a new concrete bridge, which opened this week, would significantly improve motorists' safety.
"The project is a part of Main Roads' $126.5 million Southern Queensland Accelerated Road Rehabilitation Program (SQARRP), which is replacing 31 older bridges across Queensland with concrete structures so that they can accommodate current and future freight demands," Mr Pit said.
"The new Wilkie Creek bridge is wider and will cater for heavier loads, while easing the pressure on limited supplies of timber. The concrete bridge is very low maintenance, unlike timber bridges which rely on a scarce and valuable timber.”
Mr Pitt said timber from the old bridge would be re-used to maintain and strengthen other timber bridges across Queensland.
He said the new bridge had a long design life and would serve motorists on the Moonie Highway for many years to come.
"The Moonie Highway is a strategic link in the southern Queensland road network and is used by increasing volumes of traffic between Dalby and Moonie," Mr Pitt said.
The SQARRP initiative commenced in June this year, with the last bridge expected to be replaced by the end of December 2009.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the replacement of the timber bridge with a new concrete bridge, which opened this week, would significantly improve motorists' safety.
"The project is a part of Main Roads' $126.5 million Southern Queensland Accelerated Road Rehabilitation Program (SQARRP), which is replacing 31 older bridges across Queensland with concrete structures so that they can accommodate current and future freight demands," Mr Pit said.
"The new Wilkie Creek bridge is wider and will cater for heavier loads, while easing the pressure on limited supplies of timber. The concrete bridge is very low maintenance, unlike timber bridges which rely on a scarce and valuable timber.”
Mr Pitt said timber from the old bridge would be re-used to maintain and strengthen other timber bridges across Queensland.
He said the new bridge had a long design life and would serve motorists on the Moonie Highway for many years to come.
"The Moonie Highway is a strategic link in the southern Queensland road network and is used by increasing volumes of traffic between Dalby and Moonie," Mr Pitt said.
The SQARRP initiative commenced in June this year, with the last bridge expected to be replaced by the end of December 2009.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819