Hundreds of jobs to be supported through delivery of QLD road projects

Over the next 12 months, almost 50 new road safety projects are going to be fast-tracked towards construction and completion across Queensland with the roll-out of a $174.7 million funding to get works moving. 

This new funding injection is on top of the $296.25 million joint funding announced in January of this year for about 100 road safety projects in the state. 

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce, one life lost on roads across Australia is one too many. 

“That’s why the Australian Government has committed $3 billion for the nationwide Road Safety Program. 

“Our Government is committed to keeping our communities safe, while securing our economic recovery. 

“The funding supports the fast roll-out of life-saving safety works on rural and regional roads, and is another example of the Australian Government working to reduce the number of Australians missing around the dinner table due to tragedies on our roads,” Minister Joyce said. 

The additional funding is part of the Queensland Government’s plan to address road safety as well as create more jobs for the regions. 

“We now have almost $475 million in joint funding announced since the start of the year being rolled out across the state for almost 140 projects, with construction works fast-tracked to provide investment certainty and job security in communities across the state. 

“A total of 45 new projects are now being rolled out across the state, with construction works fast-tracked for completion,” Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said. 

The significant funding commitment will deliver better rest facilities, intersection upgrades, new barriers, extra street lighting and overtaking lanes as well as audio tactile line markings and wide centre line treatments on Queensland’s high-risk roads. 

“The 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, part of our COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan. 

“We are focused on making roads safer, while supporting employment in regional communities,” Minister Bailey said. 

The projects to be delivered under this new funding include: 

• Rest area upgrades statewide – $14 million for fatigue management upgrades to roadside rest areas throughout Queensland 
• Dawson Highway: Banana to Rolleston in Central Queensland – $4 million for widening works to reduce the risk on head-on crashes 
• Dawson Highway: Rolleston to Springsure in 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 in Central Queensland – $3.5 million to upgrade the intersection to address crash history 
• Gulf Developmental Road in 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 in Northern Queensland – $2 million to widen shoulders to create safer roadsides and to install guardrail at high-risk locations 
• Carnarvon Highway and Noondoo-Thallon Road in Southern Queensland – $1.5 million for improvements to the intersection of Carnarvon Highway and Noondoo-Thallon Road to ensure safe traffic movements on heavy vehicle route 

“Making our roads safer is a critical component of our work to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads and move towards vision zero – that is zero deaths or serious injuries on our roads by 2050. 

“We are also investing significantly in other life-saving road safety initiatives including the Black Spot Program, Targeted Road Safety Works initiative and Road Safety Innovation Fund. 

“The additional funding complements that work, resulting in an even greater roll out of improved infrastructure and roads right across the nation,” Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said. 

Queensland Assistant Regional Roads Minister Bruce Saunders said majority of the projects funded through the road safety funding will benefit regional communities as well as motorists. 

“Last year was one of the worst in recent years on Queensland roads, with 277 lives lost across the state. 

“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-controlled network in Australia, so this funding means we can upgrade more intersections, build more overtaking lanes, seal more roads and widen more road shoulders,” Minister Saunders said. 

In addition to road improvements, cameras have also been installed this year to target drivers using their phones and those not wearing their seatbelts. With this camera roll out, Queensland is at the forefront with the most comprehensive camera program in Australia. 

“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,” Minister Saunders said. 

The Road Safety Program fundings are subject to ‘use it or lose it’ provision that requires states and territories to utilise the funding within a timeframe, with any unused funding reallocated to projects in other jurisdictions. 

Projects funded through this program will deliver life-saving treatments on Queensland’s regional roads as well as protect vulnerable motorists, while supporting jobs and boosting local economies. 

Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements; Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport; Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development