$750,000 promised to ease traffic to Northern Beaches
‘We’ve got investment locked and loaded … the funding is there and we’ll make sure that work is done’
Mackay
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The almost daily gridlocked traffic towards the Northern Beaches may soon be relieved with $750,000 "locked in" to duplicate Mackay Bucasia Rd.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey on Tuesday said the project was a natural progression after the $120m Mackay Northern Access Upgrade works.
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"We've got investment locked and loaded to do the business case," Mr Bailey said.
The duplication works would cover the stretch of road between the roundabout at Rural View and Bucasia.
But Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm hit out at Mr Bailey's announcement with a post to Facebook.
She said the project's feasibility study timeline of 2023/24 was not good enough to ease "horrendous" traffic.
"If people in the Northern Beaches can't get in and out of their homes safely or get to work on time, it affects the whole productivity and liveability of the Mackay region as well," Ms Camm said.
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The MP, who lives in Blacks Beach, said the one-way-in and one-way-out road left motorists trapped when there were traffic incidents.
Northern Beaches resident Phillipa-Alice Kirkwood said it was like being "stuck without a paddle".
"(I) love living out here, do not get me wrong," Ms Kirkwood commented on Ms Camm's post.
"But we are building more infrastructure without building up the roads to accommodate for this ever growing community."
Ms Camm she had planned to meet with the Department of Transport and Main Roads' regional and local directors as well as Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson on Thursday.
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