Charlton to Kingsthorpe highway upgrade to start
01 March 2017
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Contract awarded for the Warrego Highway Toowoomba to Oakey Duplication Stage 2 project
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Project will improve safety and highway capacity by separating opposing traffic, upgrading intersections and adding new turning lanes, as part of $635 million Warrego Highway – Toowoomba to Miles Upgrade Programme
Queensland Government: Construction of the $160 million
Warrego Highway Toowoomba to Oakey Duplication Stage 2 project between
Charlton and Kingsthorpe will begin shortly, with civil construction
company the
Georgiou Group awarded the contract for the project.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said
the project was expected to take around 15 months to complete.
“This is the second stage of the Toowoomba to Oakey highway duplication
and one of 15 projects funded under the critical Warrego Highway Upgrade
Programme. These works will improve driver safety and highway capacity
by separating opposing traffic, upgrading intersections and building new
turning lanes,” Mr Chester said.
Queensland Minister for Main Roads and Road Safety Mark Bailey said an
average of 250 direct jobs would be supported over the life of the
project.
“The project will ease congestion during peak times and make it safer to
access the Warrego Highway from Gowrie Mountain and Kingsthorpe, while
also providing more overtaking opportunities on the highway. An overpass
of the Warrego Highway at the intersection with Kingsthorpe-Haden Road
and Gowrie Mountain School Road will significantly improve road safety,”
Mr Bailey said.
Federal Member for Groom Dr John McVeigh said the project would upgrade
a key link in regional Queensland’s economy.
“The Warrego Highway serves the agricultural heartland of the Darling
Downs and the resource-rich Surat Basin, as well as being a major
tourism route to outback Queensland. This is one of the growth corridors
of the region and all projections point to a massive rise in road usage
as new industries and neighbouring developments come online. The Federal
Government is continuing to invest in enabling infrastructure for the
region as we continue to grow,” Dr McVeigh said.
The existing highway will form the westbound lanes, with new eastbound
lanes to be built on the northern side of the existing road. The lanes
will be separated by a 15-metre-wide grassed median to separate traffic.
The project is funded on an 80:20 basis, with the
Australian Government
contributing up to $128 million and the Queensland Government
contributing $32 million.
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Source: Queensland Government - www.statements.qld.gov.au
Contact: Zoe Russell - 0428 079 640
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