Scott Morrison has announced $800 million for a Rocky ring road

AS PM Scott Morrison travels north he has announced his plan to end traffic congestion in a Central Queensland city, whose citizens he hopes to win over come elction time.

SCOTT Morrison will today pledge to get Queensland parents home to their kids sooner and more trucks out of traffic snarls under a $800 million upgrade to the national highway.

The Prime Minister, on day three of his four-day state bus blitz, will hit Rockhampton to sandbag his equal most marginal seat in Australia, and prove he is “backing Queenslanders”.

While the $800 million for a Rockhampton ring road is a significant win for locals, it has a significant ripple effect across the state.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is splashing the cash for a new ring road for Rockhampton. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled

The national highway cuts through Rockhampton’s city, with trucks carrying produce, cattle and mining equipment battling 18 sets of traffic lights – at the same time parents are trying to drop their kids at school or trying to get to work.

The bypass will take about 3000 heavily vehicles – which only need to pass through Rockhampton to get to other parts of Queensland – out of the city each day. It will save businesses money and time, plus take some smog out of the town’s centre.

Mr Morrison, who will talk more about families in the coming months, said the new ring road will provide social and economic benefits.

“Congestion-busting road infrastructure delivers an economic boost to local businesses and local jobs,’’ Mr Morrison told The Courier-Mail last night

Scott Morrison has plan to make driving easier in Rockhampton, no bull.

“Importantly it means parents can spend more time with their kids rather than be stuck in their cars battling traffic.

“The ring road will keep Rockhampton moving.

“We want to tackle congestion to make life easier for commuters and better connect local farmers and businesses with their customers.

“Local MP Michelle Landry has been championing this project and our Government has listened. We’re backing Rockhampton and we’re backing Queenslanders.”

Ms Landry, heavily targeted by Labor and unions, which believe the Central Queensland seat should belong to them, said she would keep getting wins for residents.

“Our community wants to spend less time in the car and more time with their families, our businesses want to get out of traffic and get the goods into stores, and we want to get freight trucks out of the CBD and off suburban streets. This project will deliver all of that.”

The Commonwealth has already stumped up more than $50 million for the ring road plan and to resume homes. The $800 million, which will also require $200 million from the State Government, will pay to construct the new part of the highway.

The significant project could take about four years to construct.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the project would also deliver a new crossing across the Fitzroy River to ensure the road stays open for longer during severe wet weather.

“For freight vehicles, it means avoiding economic losses by keeping goods moving when previously they had to wait for floodwaters to subside,’’ Mr McCormack said.