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$174 million Package Contributed To Fast-track Queensland Road Safety Projects
With another $174.7 million on the way, Queensland road safety projects will be fast-tracked. This will enable almost 50 more upgrades to be completed over the next 12 months.
The additional investment of $174.7 million has been added to the $296.25 million funding that was announced back in January this year, accelerating the delivery of almost 100 Queensland road safety projects.
On average, around three people die per day due to road-related incidents in Australia. For this reason, the government has committed $3 billion for the nationwide Road Safety Program. The funding supports the fast roll-out of life-saving safety works on rural and regional roads.
The more recent boost in funding was part of the Palaszczuk Government’s plan to tackle road safety while creating more jobs for Queenslanders.
There has been almost $475 million in joint funding announced since the start of the year for 140 projects across the state, with construction works fast-tracked to provide investment certainty and job security in local communities.
A total of 45 new projects are now being rolled out across the state, with construction works fast-tracked for completion.
These projects will be working towards:
- Better rest facilities
- Intersection upgrades
- New barriers
- Extra street lighting and overtaking lanes
- Audio tactile line-marking and wide centre line treatments on high-risk roads across the state
This second round of funding is estimated to support an average of 535 direct jobs over the life of the program of works, with the majority of jobs created in regional Queensland as part of the Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
The projects included:
Rest area upgrades (statewide)
$14 million for fatigue management upgrades to roadside rest areas throughout Queensland.
Dawson Highway – Banana to Rolleston (Central Queensland)
$4 million for widening works to reduce the risk of head-on crashes.
Dawson Highway – Rolleston to Springsure (Central Queensland)
$4 million for widening works to reduce the risk of head-on crashes and address surface issues.
Capricorn Highway and Blackwater-Rolleston Road (Central Queensland)
$3.5 million to upgrade the intersection to address crash history.
Gulf Developmental Road (Far North Queensland)
$2.5 million for widening and sealing along the Gulf Developmental Road to create two lanes.
Brisbane Road – Ipswich
$2.5 million for upgrades to the intersection of Brisbane and Braeside roads.
Palmerston Highway – Innisfail to Ravenshoe (Northern Queensland)
$2 million to widen shoulders to create safer roadsides and to install guardrails at high-risk locations.
Carnarvon Hwy and Noondoo‐Thallon Road (Southern Queensland)
$1.5 million for improvements to the intersection of Carnarvon Hwy and Noondoo‐Thallon Road to ensure safe traffic movements on heavy vehicle routes.
Road safety is a key priority for the Australian Government. This investment in road upgrades would boost the economy while ensuring Queenslanders can get home sooner and safer.
The work towards making roads safer is a critical component to reduce deaths and serious injuries and move towards achieving vision zero – that is, zero deaths or serious injuries on our roads by 2050
With 174 lives already lost on Queensland’s roads this year, Queensland Assistant Regional Roads Minister Bruce Saunders said most of the boosted road safety funding would benefit regional communities and road users.
“Last year was one of the worst in recent years on Queensland roads, with 277 lives lost across the state,” Mr Saunders said.
“Every death on our roads is a tragedy, which is why we have committed record funding to save lives and reduce the impact of trauma on the community.
“Queensland has the largest state-contolled network in Australia, so this funding means we can upgrade more intersections, build more overtaking lanes, seal more roads and widen more road shoulders.
“This year, we’ve also rolled out cameras to target drivers using their phones and not wearing their seatbelts, putting Queensland at the forefront with the most comprehensive camera program in the country.
“These projects will add to the record $27.5 billion in roads and transport projects being delivered by the Palaszczuk Government over the next four years, creating 24,000 jobs.”
Bruce Saunders
ENDS
Monday 16 August 2021 – Media Release
Read the Media Release here.
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