Carnarvon Highway upgrades complete

Works on two intersection upgrades on the Carnarvon Highway near St George are now complete.

Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said the Federal Government had invested in the projects under the $4.9 billion nationwide Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) initiative, which aims to improve productivity and efficiency on Australia’s key freight roads.

"These ROSI projects are providing better connections between agricultural regions and ports, airports and other transport hubs and better access for tourism, mining and other sectors," Mr Littleproud said.

"The two upgrades now complete on the highway include the intersection with the Castlereagh Highway and Salmon Road intersection.

"Additionally, works on the intersection with Arcadia Valley Road, about 37.75 kilometres north of Injune, were completed in late May.

"Funding of $3.4 million was invested to upgrade the Castlereagh Highway intersection, $4.8 million for the Salmon Road intersection and $1.3 million for the Arcadia Valley Road intersection.

"The Australian Government has invested a total of $7.6 million and the Queensland Government committed $1.9 million in these three important projects to support regional businesses and regional communities.

“This is yet another example of the Federal Government’s record $110 billion infrastructure investment plan supporting jobs, getting regional Queenslanders home sooner and safer, and helping secure Queensland and Australia’s economic recovery.”

Queensland Assistant Regional Roads Minister Bruce Saunders said the upgrades will support the Palaszczuk Government’s long-term vision to build an inland freight route from Charters Towers to Mungindi, taking heavy haulage off the Bruce Highway, with an additional $500 million in joint funding locked in.

"The upgrades to these intersections are providing improved turn treatments and approaches to the Carnarvon Highway," Mr Saunders said.

“These intersections will form an important part of the Inland Freight Route in the future, so getting them right now means this section of road will be ready once more work starts.

“All of this work supports the Palaszczuk Government’s record $27.5 billion roads and transport investment over four years, which is creating 24,000 jobs, and helping to drive Queensland’s economic recovery.”

For up-to-date road condition information, call 13 19 40, visit www.qldtraffic.qld.gov.au or download the app.

For more information about the projects go to www.tmr.qld.gov.au, and to https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/key_projects/initiatives/roads_strategic_importance.aspx for more information about the Australian Government’s Roads of Strategic Importance initiative.