$60m plans to widen Cleveland-Redland Bay Rd but no date set
It’s taken more than 20 years, but at last there’s a promise to widen a notorious chokepoint south of Brisbane from two to four lanes - but it’s triggered a political showdown ahead of next month’s election.
Redlands Coast
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A two-lane road, notorious for being a bayside traffic bottleneck, will be widened to four lanes, after more than 20 years of political lobbying.
Cleveland-Redland Bay Road will be widened to four lanes after the State Government announced $60 million plans over three stages this week.
The announcement reignited a longstanding political row between Redlands state MP Kim Richards and federal MP for Bowman Andrew Laming.
Mr Laming said the road funding was a case of smoke and mirrors and pork-barrelling on the eve of next month’s election and would only deliver one set of traffic lights and some footpaths.
Four state governments and five councils have failed to widen the road despite promises and more than 20 years of lobbying.
Ms Richards, a government Labor MP, said the massive four-lane project would be completed over three stages but was unable to give an end date.
She said the rollout included $5 million to install some long-awaited traffic lights at Redland Bay’s notorious Anita St T-intersection, where work started this week.
The Anita St lights will be the 14th set on the 11.5km stretch of road between Redland Bay and Cleveland.
A further $37 million would be spent widening a section of the road outside Victoria Point State High School to four lanes.
The first stage, which included footpaths, road resurfacing, a pedestrian crossing and bike paths was completed for $3 million.
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“This $60 million program will not only make sure we have better roads in Redlands, but also create a steady pipeline in construction jobs as we unite and recover from COVID-19,” Ms Richards said.
“It’s only the start of our plan for Cleveland Redland Bay Road duplication. I’m looking forward to sharing more details about that project when we get into the planning and design stage.”
But Mr Laming, who has been the federal MP for the area since 2004, told Redland Bay and Cleveland residents to treat the announcement with scepticism.
He said the state government plans remained “super-vague” with no plans or timelines released.
“That is because they want to create the impression they are upgrading the entire road, when they don’t plan to at all,” he said.
“This is all smoke and mirrors and there is also $15 million extra which was just dropped in at the last minute and is unplanned money.
“They say they will spend $37 million creating four lanes over a 1km stretch outside the high school including a creek crossing but don’t explain how they propose to build four lanes over 10km with $15 million.
“In four years’ time we will be having the same debate with the promised $60 million really only buying a set of traffic lights.”