Flood-proof, safer road on horizon

The $12.9 million upgrade of Henry and Dohles Rocks roads at Griffin will start in the coming months, with the project now out to tender and due to be finished early next year.

The upgrade will be funded by Moreton Bay Regional Council (over two financial years), with a $4 million contribution from the Federal Government.

Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth and Councillor Jodie Shipway (Div 4) are pleased to see the project progressing and said it was needed to improve safety and provide a route motorists could rely on in wet weather.

The flood-prone road is regularly closed after sustained heavy rain.

“It will be raised higher, flood-proofed, still allow wildlife in the local creek and environment to be protected,” Mr Howarth says.

“The LED lighting that will be installed won’t attract wildlife like bats, possums, turtles etc and is meant to minimise impact on the environment.”

What’s happening

The upgrade will extend from about 300m south of Brays Rd on Henry Road to about 50m east of Silvereye Drive/Bettson Blvd on Dohles Rocks Rd.

It will include reconstruction, widening and major improvements to flood immunity, realignment and signalisation of the intersection of Henry and Dohles Rocks roads, including additional turn lanes on all approaches and a signalised pedestrian crossing.

There will also be a new intersection on Henry Rd for the future Griffin Sports Complex and new pedestrian and cyclist facilities to improve connectivity and accessibility to public transport and parks.

“Working with council enables us to get the road built quickly and construction should start in September,” Mr Howarth says.

Cr Shipway says the upgrade will be lasting no matter what connector roads are built in the area in the coming years.

“It’s either going to be a service road for the Moreton Connector or it will be a part of the bigger project but it won’t be sacrificial because that’s what we were most concerned about … wasting Federal funds and council funds,” she says.

Vital link

Mr Howarth says it is a vital connection for motorists in the absence of on and off ramps (to the Bruce Highway) or a connector road through the North Lakes on the eastern side of the highway.

“This road floods, so basically council and the Federal Government are funding to raise the height of the road. There will be big culverts that go underneath that will allow the creek to flow and turtles and fish in that freshwater creek to swim through,” he says.

Cr Shipway is particularly keen to see the intersection of Henry and Dohles Rocks roads signalised and realigned to improve safety.

“I’m excited about the safety that it will give to my community. It’s part of the broader plan for Griffin,” she says.

“I’m really passionate about having a masterplan for Griffin and it starts with this and then footpaths come off it. There’s a lot of footpaths in here that lead to nowhere at the moment. The Griffin Sports Complex is coming along too and should be finished early next year so it’s all combining together.”

Other work to start

The intersection at Bunnings/Costco at North Lakes is also in Council’s and the Federal Government’s sights.

“There’s no denying the traffic situation at Bunnings has become so bad on weekends that it’s becoming a community problem, so we’re investing a massive $5 million to fix both the pinch points at Flinders Parade and Cook Court, as well as the intersection at Torres Crescent and Diamond Jubilee Way. This project is possible thanks to $1.3 million from the Federal Government,” Cr Shipway says.

“These bad boys headline a host of major road and active transport upgrades starting this financial year.”

Find more local news here