RACQ wants fast-tracking of roadworks to speed COVID-19 recovery

The RACQ has put forward its list of southeast Queensland road, rail and pedestrian projects it says will help get the state moving again after the pandemic shutdown.

THE so-called second M1 is on a list of dozens of priority road upgrades the RACQ is pushing to be built now to jump-start the state's economic recovery from the COVID-19 downturn.

The motoring body has written to the Commonwealth, state and local governments with a range of shovel-ready and yet-to-be-planned road upgrades it says will create jobs across the state and stimulate business.

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They include the Coomera Connector, which duplicates the northern Gold Coast section of the M1, as well as upgrades to major southeast arterial roads such as the Pacific, Ipswich and Gateway motorways, Bruce Highway, Logan Rd, Warrego, Cunningham and Mt Lindesay highways and Moggill Rd.

A free-flowing M1 at Loganholme during COVID-19 restrictions. Picture: Richard Gosling/AAP

The RACQ wants pedestrian and public transport projects prioritised, such as the green bridge for Kangaroo Point, the Springfield to Ripley and Ipswich rail extension, the Salisbury to Beaudesert passenger line, rail duplications on the Sunshine Coast and Cleveland lines and a new commuter car park at Beenleigh station.

It wants work brought forward on the national electric vehicle fast-charging network.

A raft of safety initiatives, many of them in regional areas, are also included.

They include level crossing upgrades, black spot works, and roads that have been identified under the state's Safer Roads Sooner initiative but have missed out on funding so far.

RACQ head of public policy Rebecca Michael said many of the projects could be started with minimal delay and would create jobs across the state.

But their legacy would also help Queensland businesses recover from this economic crisis, and that, in turn, would help the state service the massive debt needed to take on to respond to COVID-19, she said.

“They're about busting congestion so that when the crisis is over and when people are getting back to work they're able to get to work faster and safer,” Dr Michael said.

“Time is money for most industries.

“So this is about tradies, this is about freight moving around, this is about people being able to get to jobs, job interviews, get to education, get to health services and if you can help people do that quickly and safely, that's money saved.”