Published Thursday, 12 June, 2008 at 06:02 PM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Roads report to be included as part of Main Roads planning
The Main Roads Department would consider an RACQ report on the state of Queensland’s roads as part of its planning and scheduling of road projects, Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said today.
Mr Pitt said the report provided Main Roads with some useful information on roads that the motoring public believed were in need of attention.
“The number of respondents to the RACQ survey, however, needs to be kept in perspective,” Mr Pitt said.
“The RACQ has more than one million members. There were only 845 responses to the RACQ survey, which is fewer than one in a thousand members,” he said.
Mr Pitt said Main Roads already undertook its own detailed assessments of roads requiring repairs and maintenance, or where more substantial upgrading or new roads were required.
“Locally, Main Roads has a number of road projects currently in place or planned for the future for the Bruce and Kennedy Highways, which were mentioned in the RACQ report,” Mr Pitt said.
“In June 2006 , Main Roads received a $348 million federal funding package for the Accelerated Bruce Highway Upgrade Package (Townsville –Cairns). This package includes a number of projects for the Tully to Cairns section,” he said.
“Just south of Tully, work on a $128 million project is progressing well on a 15km upgrade of the highway. This section of road is being significantly widened to improve safety and raised to improve drainage.”
“Construction of four overtaking lanes will take action in the next two years, with work on the first two of the overtaking lanes scheduled to commence mid 2008 – Victory Creek Road to Todd Road; and Giddens Creek to Babinda.
“Also for this area is a $2.9 million intersection upgrade at Warner Road (Yarrabah Road turn-off). This project I scheduled to commence late this year and will involve the installation of traffic signals at the intersection.
“In relation to the Kennedy Highway, the immediate priority is to improve safety for motorists on existing road as well as starting fieldwork investigations as a basis for possible long-term planning for a new road.”
A comprehensive package of safety measures is being implemented – most will be in place by August 2008. This includes a reduction of the speed limit on a section of the range road, installation of 1km of guardrail, installation of new warning and directional signs, and the replacement of guide posts.
An amount of almost $3 million has been provided from the Safer Roads Sooner program in 2008-09 and 2009-10. This includes $1.1 million for some curve widening works, and a further $1 million for the provision of either a heavy vehicle safety ramp or intelligent transport systems.
Mr Pitt said a 67.5 km upgrade between Mt Garnet to The Three Ways was scheduled to be completed by Christmas at a cost of $18.4 million.
“The Kennedy Developmental Road has been allocated $17.5 million over the next five years to commencing in the 2009-10 financial year to widen to two lanes and seal various sections of the road,” Mr Pitt said.
“I want to emphasise that Main Roads attaches the highest priority to road safety and undertakes regular assessment to ensure roads are in a safe condition. At the same time, it remains vitally important that motorists drive to the conditions, and that includes road, traffic and weather conditions,” he said.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Mr Pitt said the report provided Main Roads with some useful information on roads that the motoring public believed were in need of attention.
“The number of respondents to the RACQ survey, however, needs to be kept in perspective,” Mr Pitt said.
“The RACQ has more than one million members. There were only 845 responses to the RACQ survey, which is fewer than one in a thousand members,” he said.
Mr Pitt said Main Roads already undertook its own detailed assessments of roads requiring repairs and maintenance, or where more substantial upgrading or new roads were required.
“Locally, Main Roads has a number of road projects currently in place or planned for the future for the Bruce and Kennedy Highways, which were mentioned in the RACQ report,” Mr Pitt said.
“In June 2006 , Main Roads received a $348 million federal funding package for the Accelerated Bruce Highway Upgrade Package (Townsville –Cairns). This package includes a number of projects for the Tully to Cairns section,” he said.
“Just south of Tully, work on a $128 million project is progressing well on a 15km upgrade of the highway. This section of road is being significantly widened to improve safety and raised to improve drainage.”
“Construction of four overtaking lanes will take action in the next two years, with work on the first two of the overtaking lanes scheduled to commence mid 2008 – Victory Creek Road to Todd Road; and Giddens Creek to Babinda.
“Also for this area is a $2.9 million intersection upgrade at Warner Road (Yarrabah Road turn-off). This project I scheduled to commence late this year and will involve the installation of traffic signals at the intersection.
“In relation to the Kennedy Highway, the immediate priority is to improve safety for motorists on existing road as well as starting fieldwork investigations as a basis for possible long-term planning for a new road.”
A comprehensive package of safety measures is being implemented – most will be in place by August 2008. This includes a reduction of the speed limit on a section of the range road, installation of 1km of guardrail, installation of new warning and directional signs, and the replacement of guide posts.
An amount of almost $3 million has been provided from the Safer Roads Sooner program in 2008-09 and 2009-10. This includes $1.1 million for some curve widening works, and a further $1 million for the provision of either a heavy vehicle safety ramp or intelligent transport systems.
Mr Pitt said a 67.5 km upgrade between Mt Garnet to The Three Ways was scheduled to be completed by Christmas at a cost of $18.4 million.
“The Kennedy Developmental Road has been allocated $17.5 million over the next five years to commencing in the 2009-10 financial year to widen to two lanes and seal various sections of the road,” Mr Pitt said.
“I want to emphasise that Main Roads attaches the highest priority to road safety and undertakes regular assessment to ensure roads are in a safe condition. At the same time, it remains vitally important that motorists drive to the conditions, and that includes road, traffic and weather conditions,” he said.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819