THE Queensland government has released a long-awaited update to an eight-year-old plan for the Mount Lindesay Highway.
Logan MP Linus Power said the updated 2010 West Mount Lindesay Development Corridor – Major Road Network Study included nine planned upgrades to the Mount Lindesay Highway to be delivered over the next ten years.
“This includes four lane widening from Greenbank Road to Stockleigh Road and Stockleigh Road to Camp Cable Road,” he said.
“These things aren’t in the budget yet...We have got to fight for it.”
The upgrades complement an existing $78 million investment in four funded projects and three completed projects between the Logan Motorway and Beaudesert Town Centre Bypass.
Jordan MP Charis Mullen said the plan reflected various changes which have occurred over the past eight years.
“There has been a lot of work undertaken since the original 2010 study was released – including the Mount Lindesay Highway Safety Review, the Logan West Area Transport Study and the Logan Enhancement Project,” she said.
“The 2018 update also takes into consideration future population growth as anticipated by the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2017-2041.”
The updated plan comes as South East Queensland Council of Mayors modelling of eight major road routes concluded the Mount Lindesay Highway would be the most congested route by 2041 without intervention.
With the next federal election expected in the next six months, Mr Power called on the LNP opposition to take a bipartisan approach and support lobbying efforts to attract federal funding for future projects.
“Here is the LNP’s opportunity to prove that this issue is truly above politics and to support the 10 year forward plan for the Mount Lindesay Highway,” he said.
“We should be working together to persuade the federal government to support further funding for the Mount Lindesay Highway – such as the continued four lane widening as identified through the Mount Lindesay Highway 10 year forward plan.
“We think it is time the (federal government) went 50/50 on these (four lane widening) projects. That is the argument we will be putting.
“It is time for them to seriously consider increased funding because the nature of the road has changed...we are not going to be critical of them before (that process).”
Read more: Mount Lindesay Highway gets update
Logan Country Safe City chairman David Kenny said it was important for all projects to be costed and implemented.
“I applaud them for putting together a plan. At the end of the day whether I agree with it or not at least it started something,” he said.
“I don’t want to see the 2010 Mount Lindesay Highway Corridor plan which eight years later has not been acted on. Follow up is important...costing and putting projects into the budget is important.”
Mr Power said it was a big task ahead to secure budget commitments for the outlined projects.
The updated study outlines a series of recommendations for the Mount Lindesay Highway beyond 2031.
This includes more than six lanes north of Browns Plains Road, six lanes from Browns Plains Road to Park Ridge Road, six lanes from Park Ridge to Jimboomba, four lanes from Jimboomba to Woodhill and four lanes from Woodhill to Beaudesert unless the Bromelton North-South arterial is constructed.
The study concluded that the Mount Lindesay Highway will remain the primary north-south transport link for the west Logan area until at least 2041.
Planned projects
Logan Motorway to Middle Road
- Six lane widening
- Improve connectivity, travel time and safety
- Future planning 2026-2028
Green Road Coronation Road interchange
- Increase capacity and improve travel times
- Future planning 2026-2028
Stoney Camp Road to Chambers Flat Road
- Increase capacity and improve travel times (four lane widening)
- Planning 2022-2025
Greenbank Road to Stockleigh Road
- Increase capacity, improve travel times, safety, reliability and flood immunity (four lane widening)
- Future planning 2025-2026
Chambers Flat Road to Greenbank Road
- Increase capacity, improve safety and travel times
- Future planning 2025-2028
Stockleigh Road to Camp Cable Road
- Increase capacity and reliability (four laning)
- Future planning 2022-2025
- Cost: $40 million
Johanna Street to South Street
- Increase capacity and improve travel times (four lane widening)
- Future planning 2022-2025]
South Street to Cedar Vale Road
- Increase capacity and improve safety
- Planning 2022-2025
Cedar Vale Road to Beaudesert
- Improve safety
- Future planning 2025-2028
Funded projects
Rosia Road to Stoney Camp Road
- Increase capacity, improve travel time and safety
- Cost: $20 million
- Funded: 2018-2020
North Maclean safety improvements
- Cost: $20 million ($16 million Australian government, $4 million Queensland government
- Funded: 2018-2019
South Maclean safety improvements
- Cost: $14 million
- Funded: 2019-2020
Camp Cable Road to Johanna Street
- Increase capacity, improve travel times, safety, reliability and flood immunity (four laning)
- Cost: $20 million
- Funded: 2018-2021
Completed projects
Camp Cable Road intersection
- Increase capacity, reliability, safety
- Cost: $7 million
- Completed: 2016
Millstream Road intersection
- Increased safety and improved travel times
- Cost: $2 million
- Completed: 2015
Beaudesert Town Centre Bypass
- Improve safety and reliability
- Cost: $27.5 million
- Completed: 2017