Priority road projects for QLD’s north

The Queensland Government has released a list of 25 projects it is seeking funding from under the Federal Government’s $600 million Northern Australia Roads Program.

Projects nominated for the program include upgrades to:

• the Flinders Highway between Charters Towers and Townsville, Hughenden and Cloncurry;
• the Barkly Highway, upgrading intersections in Mount Isa;
• the Landsborough Highway between Longreach and Winton;
• the Capricorn Highway duplication between Rockhampton and Gracemere, and upgrade of the Valentine Creek Bridge, as well as overtaking lanes between Rockhampton and Emerald; and
• Gregory Developmental Road, widening between Charters Towers and Belyando, and an upgrade of the Cape River Bridge.

According to a statement from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Queensland Government submitted the list to the Australian Government in November last year.

“Our priorities remain and the need of our communities and great State remains. What we need is for Turnbull Government to respond without further delay,” the Premier said in the statement.

“In all, Queensland put forward 25 projects seeking Federal contributions of around $590 million on the appropriate 80-20 funding split.

“These projects will improve our transport networks, particularly for the movement of people and goods, particularly for exports and tourism. Queensland exports increased by more than $5 billion to $49 billion last year.”