Mount Crosby interchange: Shayne Neumann, Jim Madden on delays for Warrego Highway interchange upgrade
A 2017 planning study was used to devise the current design but the number of vehicles using the interchange has increased markedly since then.
Ipswich
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FEDERAL Labor MP Shayne Neumann has taken aim at both the state and federal governments, urging them to get their acts together and sort out the long overdue upgrade of the Mount Crosby interchange with things “effectively back to square one”.
Officers from the Department of Transport and Main Roads spoke at the Karalee Community Association’s annual general meeting on June 10 about the proposed overhaul of the bottleneck nightmare off the Warrego Highway.
Community consultation conducted by the department for the jointly-funded project closed in August last year but findings have yet to be released.
Ipswich West MP Jim Madden said the community held concerns there may be a serious accident if something isn’t done soon with some attendees suggesting the speed limit be reduced from 100 km/h to 80 km/h leading up to the interchange during peak periods.
Officers told the meeting a majority of submissions received during community consultation did not support the concept plan.
A 2017 planning study was used to devise the current design but with the number of vehicles using the interchange increasing markedly since then, Mr Madden said it was unclear whether current plans would cope.
The federal government allocated $4 million, with a $1 million contribution from the state, in this year’s budget for a ‘scoping phase’.
Mr Madden has submitted a question on notice to Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey to clarify what this would involve and when construction would be expected to start.
“There was some good news concerning the proposed upgrade of the interchange in the 2021/22 state budget … $2.27 million of $5 million was provided for planning,” Mr Madden said.
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“I have been fighting for an upgrade of the Warrego Highway and Mount Crosby Road interchange since I was first elected as the Member for Ipswich West in 2015 and, working with local residents, I will continue to fight until the construction has begun.
“And until the upgrade works commence, I will continue to work with the Minister for Transport and Main Road and the department to address the safety concerns of local residents regarding the current interchange.”
A department spokesperson said the proposed upgrade is “being reviewed in line with the community and stakeholder feedback gathered during consultation”.
“The federal budget includes $4 million for the project, based on a shared 80:20 federal-state funding arrangement,” they said.
“This additional funding will be used to investigate options in line with consultation feedback and address the safety and congestion issues experienced at the interchange.
“The Queensland Government is working closely with the Australian Government to progress the project.
“This section of the Warrego Highway at the Mount Crosby interchange has seen significant growth.
“In 2016, the interchange had an average annual daily traffic volume of about 52,600 vehicles per day.
“In 2018, it increased to about 58,300 vehicles per day.
“We thank the community for their feedback and are planning to provide consultation outcomes soon.”
Mr Neumann said the current proposal was a “friendless and inadequate solution” that local residents weren’t happy with and another delay to the upgrade coming to fruition was frustrating.
“The federal and state governments should get together and expedite this scoping study and give people certainty,” he said.
“We’re effectively back to square one. That’s the reality.
“The other night they couldn’t tell us the precise number of average traffic volumes that goes through, east, west, north and south through the interchange.
“The figures they gave were inconsistent throughout the night and with what they have told me previously.”
Mr Neumann said the department needs to look at reducing the speed limit as a priority.
“They need to reduce the speed limit from 100 km/h back to 80 km/h from the Dinmore overpass all the way past the Mount Crosby interchange,” he said.
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“They also need to think about an interim solution that looks at an extension to the off ramps so people don’t have to sit on the Warrego Highway for such a long period of time. It can bank back of an evening all the way to the Dinmore overpass.”
Karana Downs resident Simone Karandrews said regular users of the interchange were waiting for a tragedy to occur.
“Suggestions were raised about lengthening of exit ramps and a strong emphasis on speed reduction,” she said.
“(The department was) at pains to suggest permanent speed reduction is not a preferred option.
“The upshot equals a new comprehensive interchange plan is needed similar to the Blacksoil interchange.
“But there is no funding currently secured to invest in the extra costings this new upgrade will require.
“So state and federal governments will again have to be lobbied for the necessary investment to proceed on this long drawn out issue.
“One can’t help but think of the waste of time and money already spent on this farce of a proposal to arrive back at square one.”
Ms Karandrews said while frustrating, she felt it was a “positive step” for a better long term outcome.
“But there is still a long way to go and long time to wait in having this redesigned, funded and constructed,” she said.
“The process involved around the proposed upgrade has been wasted time, effort and expenditure on what was obviously a poor proposal from the outset.
“It is now 10 months since community consultation closed on the proposal and (the department is) still remiss to publish the collated report findings from the many hundreds of submissions.
“This is an unacceptable time frame.
“It is important that there is priority and commitment given by all stakeholders involved in this project to expedite action.”
Ms Karandrews, who stressed the importance to extending exit lanes to reduce the number of cars piled up on the highway, said a recently approved service station on Mount Crosby Road would likely just add to congestion woes already being experienced.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding and Division 4 councillor Russell Milligan were also in attendance at the community meeting.
“I told (department) representatives that upgrading the Mt Crosby interchange has been a high priority for the new Ipswich City Council given its impacts on the safety and congestion of the Warrego Highway,” Cr Harding said.
“In August 2020, (the department) completed community consultation to seek input on the proposed design of the upgrade.
“It has been ten months and (the department) are still yet to provide the community with the results of that consultation.
“Understandably, council and the community are frustrated by the lack of transparency and action from (the department) regarding the Mt Crosby interchange.
“The positive out of the meeting with the Karalee community was an acknowledgment from (the department) that the current proposal design is flawed.
“This is an issue council and the community have been raising for some time.
“Given the recent commitment of $4 million from the Commonwealth to progress planning, the community are keen to see a new design brought forward as soon as possible and have the opportunity to provide input into a potential solution.
“The Karalee community was also clear on the need for (the department) to consider how they keep Warrego drivers safe in the meantime.
“One suggestion was to reduce that stretch of highway from 100 km/h to 80 km/h, particularly for commuters heading west in the afternoon, to reduce the risk caused by the backlog of cars approaching the Mt Crosby interchange.”
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