Federal Budget: $800m to fix Gateway Motorway bottleneck

The Federal Government has announced $800 million to fix a bottleneck on the Gateway Motorway in Brisbane’s north.

TRAFFIC congestion on the Gateway Motorway is set to ease following the Federal Government’s announcement of $800 million to fix a bottleneck on Brisbane’s northside.

Federal Member for Petrie Luke Howarth said the funding would extend the Gateway Upgrade North project and widen the motorway from four lanes to six from the Deagon Deviation to the Pine Rivers Bridge at the start of the Bruce Highway.

PM commits $7.5m for Bracken Ridge road upgrades

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He said he was thrilled with the funding win, which was announced in yesterday’s budget.

January announcement: Looking over maps showing road upgrades for Bracken Ridge are Member for Petrie Luke Howarth, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Member for Dickson Peter Dutton, and Federal Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge. Picture: Annette Dew

“When I came into office six years ago, roads were congested, unsafe and people were sitting in traffic for hours,” Mr Howarth said.

“So I made it my priority to secure better infrastructure for our region.

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“Fixing the bottleneck near St John Fisher College (at Bracken Ridge), northbound, will make a massive difference for local motorists and will finally see traffic flowing smoothly through the area.”

The $1.1 billion Gateway Upgrade North project involved widening the motorway from four to six lanes from Nudgee to Deagon. The project, which started in early 2016, was officially opened in mid-March.

June 16, 2018: Work on and around the Deagon Deviation. Picture: AAP/John Gass

Tuesday’s federal budget also included five north Brisbane road projects which will be funded through the Urban Congestion Fund.

The projects, which were announced by the Prime Minister at Bald Hills in January, are:

■ $50 million for upgrades on the Gympie Arterial Rd to meet a significant increase in vehicle traffic and improve the connection to the southern end of the Bruce Highway;

■ $5 million to upgrade Norris Rd between Telegraph and Bracken Ridge Rds, Bracken Ridge;

■ $1.5 million to upgrade the intersection at Barbour and Norris Rds, Bracken Ridge;

■ $1 million to widen Hoyland St from two lanes to four between Kluver St and Bracken Ridge Rd, Bracken Ridge; and

■ $7.75 million to raise the level of the road at risk of flooding at Youngs Crossing, Lawnton.