Huge $32.75m boost for Youngs Crossing upgrade

The long-awaited upgrade of Youngs Crossing Road, over North Pine River, has today taken a huge $32.75 million step forward.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton, the Federal Member for Dickson, has announced the major Federal funding commitment towards a total of $68.5 million needed for project in Joyner.

It was a significant outcome of today’s 'historic' Moreton Bay Leaders forum held at the Eatons Hill Hotel with Mayor Peter Flannery and Queensland’s Deputy Premier Steven Miles.

Minister Dutton had backed a residents’ campaign, during last September’s community consultation, for Option One, using the existing Youngs Crossing Rd corridor route.

This option was, at that time, based on the existing Youngs Crossing Rd corridor. Estimated then at $49.5 million for a 940m upgrade including 160m bridge. It also needed the State Government-controlled Dayboro Rd to be upgraded.

Drive through creek

“At the moment, we’re asking people on a main arterial road to drive through a creek bed to get to work and home each day,” says Minister Dutton.

“Over the last 10 years, that road has closed 50 times because if you get a few inches of rain, or if there is a release from the North Pine Dam, that road is flooded and it’s inaccessible. It means further clogging on Gympie Rd or the Bruce Highway.

“The Federal Government, I’m pleased to announce today, will contribute $32.75 million to that project, which is essentially half of the cost of the build and the other half will be met by Moreton Bay Regional Council.

“This will make an enormous difference to the local community, particularly those commuting from Dayboro to the city, those coming from Petrie or Narangba and the surrounding suburbs. It will be really transformational in those local communities.”

Confident of cash

The State Government is also being asked for $10 million towards the upgrade of Dayboro Rd, which is the adjoining intersection with Young’s Crossing.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles, the State Member for Murrumba, said: “Most of us remember swimming at Young’s Crossing when we were kids, but it’s no longer a country waterhole.

“It’s now a major thoroughfare and this project is very important. The State has committed $375,000 to working with the council on the planning and I’m confident we’ll be able to deliver the additional $10 million required.

“We certainly thank and recognise the Federal representatives and Peter in particular …

“We’re also working on the Moreton Connector Rd connecting Griffin through Mango Hill to North Lakes for all of those in Murrumba Downs and Griffin who see North Lakes as their town centre, but also eventually a further river crossing addressing that bottleneck that so many of us sit in every morning and every afternoon.”

Historic day

Mayor Peter Flannery described this as “a pretty significant day in the history of the Moreton Bay Region.

“Some of the things we talked about were infrastructure, major road projects which we discussed with Minister Miles and Minister Dutton and ways we can move forward with the collaboration of the federal government, state government and local council to resolve some of those issues and get that infrastructure on the ground," Mayor Flannery says.

“The community will remember us not by the words that we say, but what we deliver and put into the ground. “

The options for Youngs Crossing Road upgrade vary in cost, route and length, but many residents in the Petrie on Pine and North Pine residential estates have pushed hard for Option One.

20,000 vehicles a day

They said last year that Option Two would affect koala habitat and cut through two residential estates.

This option was to use road reserve south of Andrew Petrie Drive to link with Dayboro Rd-Beeville Rd roundabout. Estimated cost $56.1 million; length 1340m including 180m bridge. Land was preserved by the former Pine Rivers Shire Council for use.

Youngs Crossing Rd is used by about 20,000 vehicles each day and that will increase to 22,500 by 2026 and 27,500 by 2036.

Water releases from North Pine Dam and unregulated overflow from the Lake Kurwongbah spillway cause the road to flood.

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