Revealed: Region's vital road projects on election wish lists
The State’s peak motoring body is calling on all political parties and candidates to green-light vital road and transport projects in the Moreton Bay.
RACQ Head of Public Policy Susan Furze said road safety needed to be front of mind for present and future leaders in the upcoming federal election.
“Since the last federal election 16 people have been killed on roads in the Longman electorate, five people were killed in the Dickson electorate, and three were killed in Petrie,” Ms Furze said.
“Crashes are preventable and have devastating flow-on effects for the families of victims and their communities.”
RACQ’s priority projects include:
• Accelerating all Bruce Highway Upgrade Program projects by increasing annual funding by 50 per cent, including additional maintenance activities
• Fast-tracking Gateway Motorway and Bruce Highway Upgrades, North Brisbane to Moreton Bay Region project and funding for early delivery of the Gateway Motorway North (Bracken Ridge to Bruce Highway)
• Funding for the North Brisbane Bruce Highway Western Alternative
• Delivering a safety works package on the D’Aguilar Highway from Caboolture to Kingaroy
• Increasing investment in the Federal Road Safety Program and bolstering maintenance funding allocations to deliver safer, stronger and more resilient regional roads.
“We need to ensure the city’s transport system is world class when we host the Olympic and Paralympic Games and commitment to these projects will put us in a good place to deliver a seamless transport experience for locals and tourists.” Ms Furze said.
“We also want to see additional funding to modernise Queensland’s transport and energy systems, by trialling emerging fuel, charging, energy storage and energy production technology including solar, hydrogen, community grids and micro-grids.”
RACQ wants both sides of government to help expand the national electric vehicle fast-charging network and progress the public access EV fast charger network identified in Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Priority List.
Moreton Bay Regional Council is calling for $500 million nationally for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.
Bribie Island Rd to be upgraded to four lanes, new Bribie bridge and the existing bridge turned over to pedestrian, cyclists, tourists, fishing and emergency vehicles.
Council is also seeking $50m for active transport and recreation options and $10m for a transport connection between Griffin and Mango Hill.
Roads are high on the list of priorities from sitting member Terry Young and the LNP, which has already pledged $100m for the Buchanan Rd upgrade at Morayfield.
Also $3.1 million towards the $6.11m for the intersection upgrade to McKean/Pettigrew/Mewett Sts, Caboolture with traffic signals.
$1.75m to upgrade of O'Mara Rd, Narangba; $4.1m for the intersection of Young and Oakey Flat Rds, Narangba; funding half the $23.6m to upgrade of Old Gympie Rd, Dakabin and half the $5m of upgrading Jensen Rd intersection in Caboolture.
The Labor Party response from Rebecca Fanning, candidate in Longman, focused on the highway.
“Many people in my electorate have to commute to Brisbane or the Sunshine Coast for work every day,” Ms Fanning said.
“Labor’s announcement to invest in the Bruce Highway means that it will be quicker and safer for Longman commuters.”
The Greens election pledges on road infrastructure included “pushing” the next government to tax billionaires and big corporations to fund a “massive expansion of transport networks”.
“To fix congestion, we need fewer cars on the road,” said the statement. “Our plan includes an extra $25 billion for rail and bus services and $500m a year for cycling and walking infrastructure.
“We’ll provide $190m for flood-affected communities to rebuild and upgrade critical infrastructure like damaged roads and allow councils to sue coal and gas companies for repairs after climate-driven severe weather events.
Dickson independent Alan Buchbach said he would work with Mayor Peter Flannery and State Transport Minister Mark Bailey to ensure “appropriate funding for Dicksonians”.
“I believe access to public transport is quite limited in Dickson with major rail lines passing either side and bus connections often beyond reasonable walking distance,” he said.
“I'd like to see future housing developments plan for better access to public transport through wider arterial/access roads and with bus routes incorporated into the initial plan.”
The other political parties fielding candidates in Dickson, Petrie and Longman Electorates did not respond by the time of publication.