Warrego Highway masterplan unveiled

The Bligh Government has launched its masterplan to transform the Warrego Highway.

Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace and Member for Toowoomba North Kerry Shine today unveiled the 20 year Warrego Highway Upgrade Strategy.

“This detailed strategy sets out our vision for the Warrego Highway which includes the construction of the Toowoomba Bypass, extra overtaking lanes, upgraded intersections and widened stretches of road,” Mr Wallace said.

“All up, our plan identifies 41 priorities to ensure the Warrego Highway to improve safety, capacity, efficiency, reliability and flood immunity.

“The Warrego Highway has long been the lifeblood of southern and south-western communities and will continue to play a crucial role in the economic development of the state as the energy sector in the Surat Basin gathers pace.

“Our comprehensive plan will take the Warrego Highway to 2031 and beyond, ensuring it meets the needs of regional communities, industry and emerging development.

“The Warrego Highway is the second-highest trafficked rural highway in Queensland, carrying more than 23,000 vehicles between Ipswich and Toowoomba and over 5,000 vehicles between Oakey and Dalby each day, with these figures expected to more than double over the next 20 years.

“It is the state’s east-west artery, transporting people and freight between Brisbane, Toowoomba, southern Queensland, central and western New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory.

“As the highway is part of the National Land Transport Network, financial support for upgrades is required from the Federal Government, and we’ll now take this plan to the Commonwealth to secure funding.

“The State and Federal governments have already committed over $160 million to the Warrego Highway for projects such as a new interchange with the Brisbane Valley Highway junction at Blacksoil, new overtaking lanes between Oakey and Dalby, a new bridge across the Maranoa River at Mitchell and upgrade of the Lockyer Creek bridge at Helidon.

“The Bligh Government has also committed a further $164 million for urgent works including safety improvements between Ipswich and Withcott, stage one of duplication between Toowoomba and Oakey, intersection upgrades in Toowoomba and improving the Macalister to Warra section.

“Only the Bligh Government has a strategy to upgrade the Warrego Highway and just like the Bruce Highway, Campbell Newman and the LNP don’t have a plan for the Warrego.

“Instead of grandstanding and giving false promises on the range bypass like the LNP, our document gives a platform to push our case for Federal funding.”

Mr Shine said the strategy set up the region for the future.

“The plan will make the highway safer, more efficient, more reliable and more resilient to wet weather,” Mr Shine.

“The recently-released revised Toowoomba Bypass plans cut the cost of the project and travel times for motorists, and I’m pleased to see it has again been identified as a priority by this government.”

The Warrego Highway Upgrade Strategy at a glance:

·Construction of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing;

·Intersection upgrades, extra overtaking opportunities and installation of guardrails;

·Construction of interchanges, widening and strengthening the highway, and the duplication of lanes;

·General highway upgrades to improve safety, capacity and flood immunity.

Media contact: Minister Wallace’s office 0437 113 241