Residents petition council for Whitaker Road upgrade over health and safety concerns

Residents of a South Burnett road have submitted a petition urging the Council to upgrade the road due to serious health and safety concerns.

A petition to take “urgent action” on a potentially hazardous and dangerous road has been submitted to the South Burnett Regional Council. Photo credit: Celeste Muller

A petition to take “urgent action” on a potentially hazardous and dangerous road has been submitted to the South Burnett Regional Council.

Residents of Whitaker Road, South Nanango, have submitted a petition asking the Council to prioritise a bitumen upgrade to the gravel road.

The petition, signed by 22 residents, said the narrow, gravel road presented “serious health and safety risks posed by dust emissions”.

“We, the undersigned, urge the Council to prioritise this upgrade to protect public health and safety,” the petition read.

“The current situation poses unacceptable risks to our community, and immediate action is required.”

According to the document, which was published as part of the March Council meeting agenda, the road gets a lot of through traffic as it connects Old Esk Road and Old Yarraman Road, with many people using the street to access the local landfill and popular off-road tracks.

In addition, service vehicles regularly travel along the road and the school bus drives the route twice a day on weekdays.

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The petition alleged that driving on the road, even at slow speeds, creates “excessive dust” that is reportedly impacting the residents’ health. Photo credit: Celeste Muller

The document alleged driving on the road, even at slow speeds, created “excessive dust” that reportedly impacted the residents’ health.

It claimed long-term exposure to the dust could increase the risk of developing respiratory conditions like asthma and aggravated symptoms of those residents with pre-existing conditions.

It also claimed residents had reported allergic reactions, like irritated eyes and skin problems, and that mental health impacts had been reported.

“The mental health impacts of increased stress levels are evident, as residents have had to limit outdoor activities, which detracts from the enjoyment of a rural lifestyle,” the document read.

The petition said during heavy rainfall the “inadequate drainage” caused flooding which made the road dangerous and, at times, impassable.

“This creates safety risks for motorists and leads to frequent, costly maintenance,” the petition read.

Two locals attended the March meeting and presented their case, highlighting the poor quality of the road and the safety risks that this poses for drivers and homeowners.
The issue will be discussed by the Council at a future meeting.