CALLS for the state-controlled Mount Lindesay Highway to be declared as a road of national importance have intensified as the 2019 election looms.
Acting Logan mayor Cherie Dalley renewed council's push for the highway to be included in the National Land Transport Network after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced $30 million to upgrade the congested road on Febraury 1.
The National Land Transport Network makes up a series of nationally important road and rail infrastructure links.
Cr Dalley said there had been 409 crashes along the Logan stretch of the highway, resulting in 12 fatalities and 255 hospitalisations in the past eight years.
"What we’d really like to see is recognition of the Mount Lindesay Highway as a national highway, a business case for an end-to-end solution and priority funding to deliver it,” she said,
"Council has long been advocating to the state and federal government to make this road safer for our residents – it is consistently rated as one of the most dangerous in Queensland.
"Our FairShare4Logan campaign calls for an end-to-end solution rather than ad hoc fixes for the 40,000 vehicles that travel on it daily."
Council's FairShare4Logan campaign identified a range of issues not normally present on a highway.
This includes inconsistent speed zones ranging from 60km/h to 100km/h, the presence of bus stops, multiple T-intersections in close proximity, limited overtaking lanes, lack of off-road breakdown and enforcement bays, inconsistent signage and direct access from private properties onto the highway.
Logan MP Linus Power said it was up to the federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development to declare the state-controlled road to be of national importance.
A spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Development said a review into the National Land Transport Network was done last year in consultation with state governments.
"The Deputy Prime Minister (Michael McCormack) is currently considering the outcomes of the review and it is expected that an update to the Network Determination will be progressed in early 2019," the spokesperson said.
"The Mount Lindesay Highway does not need to be included in the network in order to be considered for commonwealth funding, as evidenced by the recent $30 million commitment."
Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said he was not convinced the Mount Lindesay Highway would attract appropriate federal funding, even if it was listed on the National Land Transport Network.
"The M1 and the North Coast rail line are both included in the National Land Transport Network but only receive 50/50 funding, not the 80/20 they should be getting under the federal LNP government’s own rules," he said.
"We will work with whoever gets the top job in Canberra, but regardless of who that is, the Palaszczuk Government will continue to fight for Queensland to receive a fair share of federal funding."
Mr Bailey said construction work was expected to begin on the jointly funded North Maclean section of the Mount Lindesay Highway in coming weeks.
The works would link St Aldwyn Road and Wearing Road and traffic lights would be installed on the notorious Greenbank Road and Mount Lindesay highway intersection.
Mr Bailey said the upgrade would be completed by late 2019.
