Federal and state governments support major roadworks in Queensland
The ongoing Ipswich Motorway upgrade will improve travel time and motorway capacity into the industrial heart of Brisbane, federal urban infrastructure minister Paul Fletcher says.
Fletcher’s comments came as he signalled the start of the first stage of the project along with Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and main roads and road safety minister Mark Bailey.
The $400 million upgrade is jointly funded by the federal and state governments on a 50:50 basis and includes increasing the motorway capacity from four to six lanes along a 3km stretch between Rocklea and Oxley.
“More than 12,000 trucks use this section of the Ipswich Motorway daily and are experiencing delays that are currently putting pressure on our freight network, and increasing the risks associated with road accidents,” Fletcher says.
The upgrade is part of the Queensland Transport and Road Investment Program (QTRIP) that includes a total of about $20 billion in stated investment in Queensland’s road infrastructure over the next four years.
This includes joint federal and state funded projects:
- $8.5 billion Bruce Highway upgrade program
- $1.6 billion Toowoomba Range Crossing
- $1.162 billion Gateway Upgrade North
- $400 million Ipswich Motorway (Rocklea to Darra) Stage 1
- $200 million Townsville Ring Road
- $76.9 million Gregory Developmental Road, including Cape River Bridge.
Solely state-funded projects include:
- $160.7 million Commonwealth Games Roads project
- $40 million Western Roads Upgrade Program
- $30 million Riverway Drive duplication in Townsville (from Gollogly Lane to Allambie Lane).
The Queensland government is also currently working towards restoring road infrastructure that was damaged by Cyclone Debbie.
“Focusing on improving the motorway’s flood immunity, work will include constructing higher bridges over the Oxley Creek area, which will see a more reliable, safer motorway through Oxley and Rocklea, improving productivity and benefiting all South East Queenslanders,” Bailey says.
Construction will begin later this year and is expected to finish in 2020.