Queensland Premier Steven Miles and Minister for Transport and Main Roads Bart Mellish have issued an update on the state’s vision for the Centenary Motorway.
The current Centenary Motorway between Darra and Toowong currently services over 90,000 vehicles per day in some sections and, with forecasts predicting dramatic rises in these numbers, the existing infrastructure will be unable to accommodate the increased load/
$10 million had previously been allocated for planning of the Centenary Motorway upgrade, with the upgrading of the existing motorway or tunnel options potentially included.
The master plan will identify the most effective staging approach to deliver the upgrades in the medium to long-term.
Construction of the $298.5 million Centenary Bridge Upgrade across the Brisbane River is well underway.
Member for Mount Ommaney Jess Pugh says the ongoing status of the bridge upgrade means decision-makers can look further afield to upgrade other parts of the motorway.
“With the Centenary Bridge Upgrade well underway, we can now look to future-proofing the rest of the road corridor,” Pugh says.
“By exploring options like a tunnel, we will be able to provide more reliable transport options for our community.
“I am really proud to have secured this exciting tunnel feasibility study to help bust congestion on the Centenary Motorway.”
The potential addition of a Centenary Motorway Tunnel will follow the decision to construct the Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel which will skip 19 sets of traffic lights and save drivers up to an estimated 32 minutes per trip.
Mellish says lessons from the Gympie Road Bypass Tunnel can be implemented in the planning of a Centenary Motorway Tunnel.
“As SEQ continues to grow we also need to plan for the longer term and think strategically about how we incest to get the best network outcomes for Queenslanders,” Mellish says.
“QIC (Queensland Investment Corporation) will work closely with my department to use the learnings gains so far from the Gympie Road Bypass project to inform the development of the master plan and support longer term strategic planning approach.
“This is a critical piece of the SEQ motorway network, and we need to ensure we maximise the longer-term benefits.”
Premier Steven Miles says the increasing number of people moving to Brisbane and the south-east Queensland region means upgrades like the Centenary Motorway are critical to the efficiency of the state.
“As more people move to Brisbane we are seeing congestion on arterials, like the Centenary Motorway, grow quicker than we can build new connections.
“I know how important quality local road networks are to supporting our growing region.
“This level of investment doesn’t just happen overnight. It follows strong advocacy from local MPs Jess Pugh and Margie Nightingale, and their constituents.”
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