THE State Government has pulled the wrong rein in putting $200 million into an Ipswich Motorway upgrade but allocating only minor improvements to the Mt Lindesay Highway.
Councillors Luke Smith and Trevina Schwarz called on the State and Federal Governments to fund the much needed upgrade of the Mt Lindesay Highway.
Cr Smith, a Logan City Council mayoral candidate, said the State Government’s 50:50 funding for the Ipswich Motorway was not good enough given the dangerous conditions on the Mt Lindesay Highway.
The Mt Lindesay Highway also did not receive a mention in the Government’s State Infrastructure Plan.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey have announced the Government will spend $200 million on the first stage of upgrading the Ipswich Motorway, between Rocklea and Darra.
The move is aimed at busting congestion and improving road freight movements.
“This $200 million … is an enormous step in seeing this project move forward and means relief is in sight for motorway users who currently face mass congestion in peak times,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“However, in order for this $400 million project to become a reality, we need the Turnbull Government to come to the table and meet our commitment 50:50. They should make that commitment and put their allocation back in to this project tomorrow.’’
Usually, the Federal Government funds 80 per cent of major road projects but in this case Queensland is putting up 50 per cent to get the project under way.
Funding from the project was dropped last year when the previous state government removed the motorway from the National Land Transport Network.
Cr Smith said he was tired of seeing funding going elsewhere because of politics.
“This is beyond politics, this is people’s lives,” he said.
“How many more accidents are needed before the State and Federal governments pull their fingers out and fix this highway?
“I call on both levels of governments to come out and see first hand how bad this stretch of road is and work out a way to fix it”.
Mr Bailey said Infrastructure Australia had identified the motorway as high priority, with more than 85,000 motorists daily using the section, including up to 12,000 trucks.
Last month the State Government released a Mt Lindesay Highway safety report which features intersection upgrades.
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