Most of Queensland's major freight routes have reopened allowing heavy vehicle operators to access communities affected by widespread flooding
February 4, 2013
Most of Queensland’s major freight routes have reopened allowing heavy vehicle operators to access communities affected by widespread flooding.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson says engineers reopened the Cunningham Highway at Goondiwindi on February 1.
He says a convoy of about 100 trucks were escorted along the highway from Goondiwindi the day before and that more than 800km of roads across the state have reopened.
“Main Roads crews and Police are currently escorting heavy vehicles along the Yeppen floodplain to keep the Bruce Highway open, just south of Rockhampton,” Emerson says.
“One of my major priorities at the moment is reopening the Capricorn Highway, west of Rockhampton, where floodwaters have washed away the Neerkol Bridge.”
On the rail network, a number of passenger and freight routes remain closed, including Gympie to Rockhampton and between Rosewood and Toowoomba.
“We are also working with Aurizon to reopen the major coal networks as floodwater recede in Central Queensland,” Emerson says.
Transport and Main Roads and Queensland Police Service authorised officers have the power to grant limited approval for drivers to travel past restricted road use signs on a state-controlled road.
Freight operators can apply for heavy vehicle permits that cannot be provided through normal processes in affected regions, or when special access is required in cases of emergency.
An example of when this might occur would be for the delivery of essential items such as food or medical supplies.
