Ministerial Statement: Record $18 billion roads program sustains 30,000 jobs

[ozbob]

Minister for Main Roads
The Honourable Craig Wallace
18/09/2009

Record $18 billion roads program sustains 30,000 jobs

A record $18 billion five-year roads program will protect about 30,000 jobs for Queenslanders over each year of the program, Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace said while releasing the program in Townsville today.

"The 2009-10 to 2013-14 Roads Implementation Program - better known as the RIP - will continue the Bligh Government's massive infrastructure investment," Mr Wallace said.

"The RIP is a key component of our important Government building program that is helping our economy weather the fall-out of the global financial crisis. The Bligh Government is meeting the economic downturn head-on in a bid to continue driving growth in the job market throughout the state.

"This year, the roads funding commitment has increased to more than $18 billion over the next five years, an increase of $1.8 billion - or 11 per cent - on last year's five-year program of $16.2 billion.

"The previous five-year roads program, released in 2008-09, was the largest in the history of Main Roads and this new program is bigger still."

Mr Wallace said the road construction program would also address safety and urban congestion.

"Through our Safer Roads Sooner program, we'll invest $300 million over five years to target known crash sites and safety programs," he said.

"Managing urban traffic growth is another strategic priority of the Bligh Government. Our investment in new and upgraded roads, along with technology such as free-flow tolling and intelligent transport systems, is helping fight congestion and getting Queenslanders home to their families sooner."

Mr Wallace said the RIP would also help protect Queensland's state-controlled road network.

"Queensland's road network is the largest state-controlled road network in the nation - placed end to end, the state's roads would reach from Brisbane to London and back," he said. "Over the five years of this RIP, $2.86 billion will provided towards maintenance a nd preservation of the road network."

Mr Wallace said the Government's investment in the RIP would help to plan, build and maintain a better road network for all Queenslanders.

"The RIP outlines planned roadwork over five years, with firm funding allocations for projects in the first two years of the program, as well as indicative plans and allocations for the following three years," he said.

"We will actively engage with our communities to plan and deliver these projects to keep Queensland connected."

Mr Wallace said the new RIP detailed significant investment in many projects across the state which the Government would progress or finalise over the next five years, including:

    * Ipswich Motorway upgrade
    * Houghton Highway Bridge duplication between Brighton and Redcliffe
    * Centenary Highway duplication between Springfield and Darra
    * upgrade the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra
    * interchange upgrades and capacity improvements on the Pacific Motorway
    * Townsville Port Access Road
    * Forgan Bridge duplication in Mackay
    * realignment of the Dawson Highway at Calliope Range, west of Gladstone
    * upgrade the Kennedy Developmental Road between Three Ways and The Lynd, south of Mt Garnet
    * replace the bridges across the Don River and approaches on the Leichhardt Highway, south of Wowan.

"The costs of major infrastructure projects continue to increase, due to the high demand for new infrastructure by both the government and the private sector, caused by booming population growth,'' Mr Wallace said.

"However, we are carefully managing the allocation of our record capital budget to ensure Queenslanders get the best value for the Government's huge level of road infrastructure expenditure."

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[ozbob]

How sadly appropriate the acronym RIP is for the road program ...