Freight task in Qld begins to return to normal, but more work is needed to repair roads damaged by floods
March 12, 2010
The freight task is beginning to return to normal in Queensland, with Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace declaring the Warrego Highway “open for business”.
The highway was part of a number of routes shut down over the past two weeks due to inclement weather, which caused widespread flooding and damage to regional and rural roads.
He thanked the trucking industry for its patience, as travel and load restrictions were imposed while repairs to damaged areas were carried out.
“It was critically important to allow the saturated pavement time to dry out. It’s now open for business,” Wallace says.
Flood waters are still present around St George, however, and Wallace says all highways in the area are closed to general freight.
“Crucial freight is being allowed into St George via the Moonie Highway,” he says.
Wallace says re-opening the Warrego Highway will make a big difference in getting flood relief goods to areas along the route in the south-west of Queensland, such as Quilpie, Paroo, Bullop and Balonne.
But he adds a lot of work will need to be done to clean up the mess caused by the heavy rainfall.
“Significant repairs will need to be undertaken over the next few months. As flood waters recede across the region, our main focus is on immediate repairs to keep road users moving,” Wallace says.