Mount Crosby Interchange: Warrego Highway upgrade plans scrapped with state government not expecting works to start for years

The state government has delivered the news that regular users of the congested Warrego Highway interchange were fearing. Here’s what we know.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said work on the Mount Crosby interchange upgrade is not expected to start until 2024.

CONSTRUCTION on the long overdue upgrade to the “dangerous” Mount Crosby interchange is not expected to start for at least another three years, the state government has revealed.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) conducted community consultation on a proposed upgrade to the congested Warrego Highway interchange last year.

It closed in August with the vast majority of the 600 responses opposing the proposed plans put forward.

Local motorists have repeatedly flagged safety issues at the clogged intersection for years, with cars piling up on the highway at peak times.

The scrapped plans for the proposed Warrego Highway - Mount Crosby Road interchange upgrade.

Those $22 million plans, which were based on a 2017 study, have now been scrapped by the government on the back of the feedback received and the increase in road users.

In 2016 the interchange had an average annual daily traffic volume of about 52,600 vehicles per day and in 2018, it increased to about 58,300 vehicles per day.

That is only expected to continue rising on the back of Ipswich’s rapidly growing population.

Included in the recent federal budget was $4 million for a scoping study for the upgrade, with a contribution of $1 million coming from the state government.

In response to a question on notice from Ipswich West MP Jim Madden, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the state government expects construction of the new interchange to start in 2024.

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Mr Bailey acknowledged this was “disappointing” news for the many thousands of motorists who use it every day.

“Since the (2017) study was undertaken, there has been significant traffic growth at this location, both with respect to the traffic using Mount Crosby Road and the traffic volumes on the Warrego Highway,” he said.

“This traffic growth is greater than predicted by the 2017 planning study and is adversely affecting both roundabouts controlling the interchange, exceeding capacity during peak periods and causing vehicles to queue back on the Warrego Highway as well as on Mount Crosby Road.

“Over 600 individuals, businesses and organisations provided feedback on the proposed option with the great majority of respondents indicating they did not consider the proposal to be an adequate solution.

“As a result of traffic condition changes, reinforced by community feedback, it has become clear a much more substantive upgrade is required to address safety and congestion problems.”

Ipswich West MP Jim Madden standing above the Warrego Highway.

Mr Bailey said TMR would soon release more details about the results of community engagement and next steps to progress the project.

He wrote to then deputy prime minister Michael McCormack earlier this year, advising him of the need for more funds to undertake a “major upgrade” to the interchange.

“An upgrade that will meet the needs of the community and the transport system for many years to come,” Mr Bailey said.

“I acknowledge that the delay to upgrading the interchange is disappointing for the thousands of motorists who use it every day, however it would be wrong to progress a project we now know will not solve the problem and is not supported by the community.

“Therefore, I have directed TMR to work with the Australian Government to release the funding, fast track the planning and design phases, and progress to construction as soon as possible.”

A business case will follow the scoping study, which will include a preferred upgrade option and an estimated cost.

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“Further engagement with the community will be undertaken during the options development process to ensure the preferred option has broad community support,” Mr Bailey said.

The funding arrangement for this project is split 80/20 between the federal and state governments.

“I will be fighting to have the department complete the new design for the Mt Crosby Road interchange as soon as possible,” Mr Madden said.

“ I will also be fighting to have these works completed as soon as possible.

“As the Warrego is a national highway all major works are funded jointly with the federal and Queensland governments.

“Funds (for the project are) sourced from the $546 million Warrego Highway joint funding agreement.”

Blair MP Shayne Neumann has called for interim measures to be put in place to address safety issues.

Federal Blair MP Shayne Neumann said work needed to be in the interim to address safety issues at the interchange.

“We’re back to square one,” he said.

“They need to accelerate that scoping study. The consultation process went on for far too long. I have yet to get the results of the community consultation.

“This has gone on for far too long. In the interim they need to take safety measures like speed limit reductions. It’s clearly what the local people want.

“The feedback I’ve been getting is that it’s dangerous. Everything needs to be done to protect people’s lives and people’s property.”

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.