Toowoomba Regional Council unveils estimated road repair bill after flooding

Toowoomba Regional Council has unveiled the significant costs it would take to repair flood damaged roads, expected to take two years to complete. Details here.

An estimation into the repairs of Toowoomba regional roads could reach new heights, after significant flooding damaged surfaces a month ago.

The Toowoomba Regional Council has estimated repair costs could hit $100 million, with the task expected to take two years for completion.

“There are more than 90 roads across the Region that have a significant hazard which poses a danger to motorists and/or currently are closed due to flooding,” Toowoomba Regional Council councillor Carol Taylor said.

“At this point we are anticipating restoration costs in the order of $100 million and we are seeking additional funding for resilience improvements well beyond this figure.”

The council has called for state and federal government assistance through the Betterment program, which is joint funding to rebuild and develop resilient frameworks to withstand the effects of future natural disasters.

The flood damage to O’Connor Road, Coalbank.

Ms Taylor said the funding would reduce the social and economic costs for weather repairs into the future.

“Council is committed to improving the community’s ability to prepare and respond to future flooding and do what is necessary to create a safer, stronger and more resilient Region, however we need funding support to complete this extensive restoration work,” she said.

“Funding assistance will help improve not only flood resilience, but road safety and connectivity, especially for rural producers and transport operators.

“Following the 2010/2011 record flood events, Council undertook the largest flood recovery program the Region has seen.

“While we can’t completely safeguard against extreme weather events, I’m confident that the region has vastly improved infrastructure that will offer greater resilience to withstand future flooding and mitigate flood impacts.”

During the 2022 floods more than 500mm fell on areas, causing deadly flash flooding.

At the time, more than 150 roads in the Toowoomba region were inundated by floodwaters, while hundreds more were impacted across the Downs and Lockyer Valley.

Roads that were nominated for initial projects and repairs include Toowoomba’s Russell and Victoria Street intersection, Kelvinhaugh-Yalangur Road at Oakey Creek, Westbrook-Wyreema Road at Westbrook Creek, Goombungee-Mount Darry Road and safety upgrades to Cooby and Cressbrook Dams.

In addition to the nominated roads, the council has also asked the state government to upgrade high risk flooding and landslip locations where access to regional communities is impacted in times of natural disasters, re-establish the Soil Conservation Service, upgrade the flood immunity of the Gore Highway, and undertake flood mitigation improvements to the Bridge and Tor Street intersection.

The full list of the initial project list to be considered for external funding are:

• Upgrade of the Neil Street culvert, Toowoomba,

• Upgrade of the Perth Street culvert, Toowoomba,

• Flood mitigation improvements to the Russell and Victoria Street intersection and adjacent West Creek channel, Toowoomba,

• Review and update of the Gowrie Creek Catchment Flood Models and support the implementation of potential flood immunity improvements,

• McDougall Street at South Street, Toowoomba: Installation of culverts and raising road to reduce incidence of flooding.

• Kelvinhaugh-Yalangur Road at Oakey Creek: Upgrade culvert crossing to provide greater flood immunity,

• Boundary Street at Beacon Court: Installation of culverts and raising road to reduce incidence of flooding,

• Westbrook-Wyreema Road at Westbrook Creek: Upgrade culvert capacity,

• Maria Creek Road: Upgrade of floodway, culvert capacity and batter protection works,

• Blaxland Road: Upgrade of culverts, floodway and batter protection works,

• Goombungee-Mount Darry Road: Drainage improvements,

• Perseverance Hall Road: Upgrade to concrete floodway, culvert capacity increase and batter protection works,

• O’Connor Road, Coalbank: Upgrade to existing floodway and batter protection,

• Jimna Springs Road: Extension to existing concrete floodway and concrete batter protection works,

• Beauaraba Road: Installation of new concrete floodway and batter protection works,

• Lagoon Creek Road: Upgrade and seal 400m steep section,

• Mount Molar Road: Upgrade culvert structure, Sobbe Gully,

• Upgrade to and relocation of Wivenhoe Pump Station,

• Review of sewerage inundation across network,

• Safety upgrades to Cooby and Cressbrook Dams,

• Resilience and redundancy access to water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants and waste facilities across the region, and

• Resilience to parks, reserves, walking and fire trails, especially on The Great Dividing Range escarpment.

Originally published as Toowoomba Regional Council unveils estimated road repair bill after flooding