KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto expresses concern over lack of funding for Northern Beaches intersection in state budget
A business case into a major road upgrade in Townsville’s largest growth corridor has been overlooked in the state budget with northern suburbs residents to sit in gridlock for a little longer.
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A business case into a major road upgrade in Townsville’s largest growth corridor has been overlooked in the state budget with northern suburbs residents to sit in gridlock for a little longer.
Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto has been lobbying the state government since 2019 to improve the traffic issues on North Townsville Rd between Mount Low and Deeragun.
He said residents were fed up with the traffic and the road being overlooked was a major concern for the region.
This comes after Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg signalled support for the project, saying Transport and Main Roads had explored the project in a preliminary evaluation that had allowed “greater understanding of the challenges of this complex infrastructure location” and “identified several options to upgrade the road network”.
“We were chasing upwards of $20m to be committed so that we could continue with a business case so that we could unlock the funding necessary to redevelop this part of Townsville,” Mr Dametto said.
“The Northern Beaches of Townsville, the northern corridor has the potential to grow exponentially with up to 6000 new blocks almost ready to go.”
“At a time when we are in a housing crisis, this state government should be hellbent on unlocking the potential of growth of the Northern Beaches.”
Outlined in the 2024-25 to 2027-28 Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program was $10m for the section of Woolcock Street from Mount Low to Deeragun, with $3m allocated for 2025/26 and $7m for 2026/27 to 2027/28.
The new QTRIP for 2025-26 to 2028-29 has no mention of the project, but lists others along Woolcock Street.
Mr Dametto put a Question on Notice in parliament on Wednesday asking Mr Mickelberg to explain why the project no longer appears on the QTRIP report, and how the project can proceed in the absence of any budget allocation in the 2025/26 state budget.
Mr Dametto said the lack of ‘critical upgrades’ reduces the liveability of the Northern Beaches.
“People move to regional cities like Townsville because they enjoy the fact that it takes 15 to 20 mins to get from one side of the city to the other, you start playing with that and reducing liveability people will start looking elsewhere,” he said.
“We watched the Labor party develop nearly every arterial road across Townsville across the three electorates held by the state Labor government. “
In May this year Mr Dametto said more than 2500 Queenslanders had signed a petition calling for action, labelling it one of the city’s “most controversial roads”.
“Now, we’ve had a change of government, we would hope the focus would go to making sure the road infrastructure for the rest of the city had the attention,” he said.
“Residents that live there now know that as soon as there’s one car accident on the highway the road becomes a complete standstill. When it floods the Lower Bohle Bridge goes under and traffic becomes a car park. No one is moving”.
“It’s a key piece of infrastructure for people who are getting through from the hospital, so that’s a concern for me.”
Mr Mickelberg said the government was delivering “more money than ever before”, but did not provide clarity on omitting the project.
“We are delivering a record $42bn in transport projects and programs across Queensland,” he said.
“This is about getting on with the job of delivering the transport infrastructure Queensland’s growing population needs – having respect for taxpayers’ money and delivering projects with stricter time frames.”
Mr Mickelberg said funding was committed for ‘multiple safety upgrades along Woolcock Street.”
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