New Kewarra to Trinity Beach link road approved by Cairns council
A controversial new road linking two beach suburbs has been approved with major roadworks set to start in a matter of days.
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A CONTROVERSIAL new road linking two beach suburbs has been approved with major roadworks set to start in a matter of days.
Cairns Regional Council is pressing ahead with the demolition of a state-owned house to make way for a two-lane road linking Poolwood Rd in Kewarra Beach to Trinity Beach Rd a suburb over.
Division 9 councillor Brett Olds poured water on claims of a budget blowout after cost estimates skyrocketed from $3m to almost $5m.
He said the scope of works had changed significantly with a new roundabout being built to improve access to Trinity Anglican School, an extra footpath now flagged – as well as considerable increase in costs for materials.
“You change the plan and that costs more,” he said.
“I did find the further you go away, residents of Trinity Beach and Kewarra Beach are excited about this.
“The majority are, and there are some that are very angry and against it.”
Neighbours of the condemned home have expressed fears their properties could be next if traffic volumes increase to a point where an extra two lanes are needed in future years.
Engineering services associate director Ray Plasto said there was no indication that would happen.
“We undertook some detailed modelling to inform the design,” he said.
“Even with the worst-case scenario, like one intersection being closed to the highway, it still didn’t warrant the generation of traffic there that would require four lanes in that particular part of the network.”
Council CEO Mica Martin also said there were “no current plans” to increase lanes because detailed traffic modelling did not warrant it for the foreseeable future.
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Originally published as New Kewarra to Trinity Beach link road approved by Cairns council
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