Article: RACQ calls for more road funds

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

RACQ calls for more road funds

RACQ calls for more road funds
August 19, 2010 - 8:01AM

Queensland's peak motoring body says the major parties have largely ignored important road upgrades during this election.

RACQ spokesman Gary Fites said with only two days to go before election day, neither the ALP nor the Coalition had made adequate funding commitments for road infrastructure.

He said the RACQ had a list of 10 roads that urgently needed upgrades, including the Warrego Highway, Brisbane's Gateway Motorway, the Pacific Motorway and Ipswich Motorway.

Mr Fites said while both major parties had committed some funding for some projects, this was not enough.

The Coalition had promised $150 million funding for the Warrego Highway upgrade and $700 million towards the cost of building the Toowoomba Bypass and the Blacksoil interchange of the same highway.

Meanwhile, the government had committed funds to complete Townsville's ring road and a part of many projects required to upgrade the Bruce Highway between Sarina and Cairns.

But Mr Fites said this showed a real lack of vision.

"We are disappointed that neither party has failed to make any major impression on the infrastructure scorecard," Mr Fites said.

AAP

[Jonno]

Gary Fites will you just retire your 1960 transport beliefs.  Both the Federal Government and Infrastructure Australia are pushing rail first.  Why? Because 40 years of road building has created our congestion today not failed to fix it!!!

[#Metro]

I did a rough look at the State Infrastructure Plan. It has road spending at roughly 60%, with PT and other transport (a large slice being CRR) at 40%.

Brisbane's Gateway Motorway, the Pacific Motorway and Ipswich Motorway

These three motorways are essentially cash black holes.
They are always being upgraded, constantly, since they were built.
Gateway just got a $1.8 billion duplication taking it to a massive 12 lanes of freeway.
Pacific motorway has $420 million of state and federal funds for upgrading at Nerang, Gold Coast
Ipswich Motorway, Dinmore to Goodna was upgraded to 6 lanes minimum with provision for future expansion to 8 lanes of traffic.

Freeways have their place. What that place should be is something that should be talked about.

[WTN]

Exactly! We are already spending lots of money on roads, especially on many he mentioned!

It could be worse - I'd be alarmed if anyone advocates the shut down of Citytrain and the conversion of suburban rail lines and busways to freeways.

[Golliwog]

Awwww, but just think about how many extra lanes you'd have! ...for traffic.

I know there are road problems, and some do legitimately need to get looked at and fixed up, but what he seems to be advocating for is untenable and impractical.