Published Thursday, 05 June, 2008 at 02:12 PM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Five-year plan for north west roads
Improving regional road networks is the focus for road funding in north west Queensland, as part of a record $16.2 billion five-year roads program released by the Bligh Government today.
The Roads Implementation Program 2008-09 to 2012-13 outlines a $16.2 billion infrastructure investment for Queensland's roads over the next five years, including $214 million for North West Queensland road projects.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the program—a 22 per cent increase on last year's program—highlighted record funding for regional, rural and remote areas of the state.
“The latest Roads Implementation Program looks over the horizon as part of our longer-term planning for the future of our state’s road network,” Mr Pitt said.
“This government is building tomorrow’s Queensland today and we have allocated a record funding program to achieve this objective,” he said.
“This record funding includes some $214 million in projects that will improve the safety, capacity and reliability of roads in North West Queensland.”
The Roads Implementation Program outlines planned roadworks over a five-year timeframe, with firm funding commitments for projects in the first two years of the program, and indicative plans and allocations for the following three years.
“This unique program gives our stakeholders, clients and suppliers firm commitments they can factor into their own planning,” Mr Pitt said.
Mr Pitt said the 2008-09 to 2012-13 Roads Implementation Program included projects outlined in this week’s 2008-09 State Budget, as well as road projects commencing in 2009-10 and beyond.
North west Queensland project allocations for 2009-10 include:
• $2.5 million to widen the Burke Developmental Road north of the Burke and Wills Junction
• $2.8 million for widening the Flinders Highway between Julia Creek and Cloncurry and Richmond and Julia Creek.
Local roads will also benefit, with $3.5 million in allocations provided to local governments in the region under the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS) in 2009-10.
The TIDS program allows local government to access state government funding to help fund projects on local roads.
TIDS allocations for 2009-10 include:
• $300,000 for Richmond Shire Council to construct the Richmond-Croydon Road to seal standard, 85km north of Richmond
• $250,000 for Burke Shire Council to construct the Gregory-Lawn Hill Road to seal standard, west of Gregory Downs
• $250,000 for Cloncurry Shire Council to widen and overlay a section of Duchess Road, 5km from the Mount Isa-Dajarra Road intersection
• $207,000 for Carpentaria Shire Council for cattle grids and fencing at various locations in the Carpentaria local government area
• $215,534 for McKinlay Shire Council for slurry seal on Taldora Road, 18km north of Julia Creek
• $150,000 for Mount Isa City Council for programmed maintenance on Yelvertoft Road, 120km north of Mount Isa
• $95,000 for Flinders Shire Council to construct to sealed two-lane standard on the Prairie-Muttaburra Road, 115km south of Prairie.
The five-year program also confirms north west Queensland projects announced as part of a record roads budget for 2008-09, including:
• a $14.4 million project to seal the Aramac-Torrens Creek Road, south of Torrens Creek
• a $7.5 million project to pave and seal sections of the Wills Developmental Road between Gregory and the Doomadgee turnoff, south of Burketown
• a $6.7 million project to seal the Kennedy Developmental Road, between Hughenden and the Porcupine Gorge turnoff, as part of a joint project with Flinders Shire Council
• a $2.9 million project to widen the Burke Developmental Road at Donors Hill.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
The Roads Implementation Program 2008-09 to 2012-13 outlines a $16.2 billion infrastructure investment for Queensland's roads over the next five years, including $214 million for North West Queensland road projects.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the program—a 22 per cent increase on last year's program—highlighted record funding for regional, rural and remote areas of the state.
“The latest Roads Implementation Program looks over the horizon as part of our longer-term planning for the future of our state’s road network,” Mr Pitt said.
“This government is building tomorrow’s Queensland today and we have allocated a record funding program to achieve this objective,” he said.
“This record funding includes some $214 million in projects that will improve the safety, capacity and reliability of roads in North West Queensland.”
The Roads Implementation Program outlines planned roadworks over a five-year timeframe, with firm funding commitments for projects in the first two years of the program, and indicative plans and allocations for the following three years.
“This unique program gives our stakeholders, clients and suppliers firm commitments they can factor into their own planning,” Mr Pitt said.
Mr Pitt said the 2008-09 to 2012-13 Roads Implementation Program included projects outlined in this week’s 2008-09 State Budget, as well as road projects commencing in 2009-10 and beyond.
North west Queensland project allocations for 2009-10 include:
• $2.5 million to widen the Burke Developmental Road north of the Burke and Wills Junction
• $2.8 million for widening the Flinders Highway between Julia Creek and Cloncurry and Richmond and Julia Creek.
Local roads will also benefit, with $3.5 million in allocations provided to local governments in the region under the Transport Infrastructure Development Scheme (TIDS) in 2009-10.
The TIDS program allows local government to access state government funding to help fund projects on local roads.
TIDS allocations for 2009-10 include:
• $300,000 for Richmond Shire Council to construct the Richmond-Croydon Road to seal standard, 85km north of Richmond
• $250,000 for Burke Shire Council to construct the Gregory-Lawn Hill Road to seal standard, west of Gregory Downs
• $250,000 for Cloncurry Shire Council to widen and overlay a section of Duchess Road, 5km from the Mount Isa-Dajarra Road intersection
• $207,000 for Carpentaria Shire Council for cattle grids and fencing at various locations in the Carpentaria local government area
• $215,534 for McKinlay Shire Council for slurry seal on Taldora Road, 18km north of Julia Creek
• $150,000 for Mount Isa City Council for programmed maintenance on Yelvertoft Road, 120km north of Mount Isa
• $95,000 for Flinders Shire Council to construct to sealed two-lane standard on the Prairie-Muttaburra Road, 115km south of Prairie.
The five-year program also confirms north west Queensland projects announced as part of a record roads budget for 2008-09, including:
• a $14.4 million project to seal the Aramac-Torrens Creek Road, south of Torrens Creek
• a $7.5 million project to pave and seal sections of the Wills Developmental Road between Gregory and the Doomadgee turnoff, south of Burketown
• a $6.7 million project to seal the Kennedy Developmental Road, between Hughenden and the Porcupine Gorge turnoff, as part of a joint project with Flinders Shire Council
• a $2.9 million project to widen the Burke Developmental Road at Donors Hill.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819