Kuranda Range emergency night works hit with fresh delays

Emergency night works to repair landslide damaged sections of the Kuranda Range Road will at last be completed this week, according to TMR. Here’s the latest.

An aerial view of the damaged Kuranda Range Rd. Picture: TMR

Emergency night works to repair landslide damaged sections of the Kuranda Range Road will at last be completed this week.

For more than four months, two sections of the mountain road linking Smithfield and Kuranda have been reduced to one lane after large sections of the roadway crashed down the cliff during sustained heavy rainfall in mid-December.

According to Transport and Main Roads works planned for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will mean a full closure of the road between 9pm and 4am, weather and construction conditions permitting.

Emergency closures by Transport and Main Roads will end this Friday. Picture: TMR

Temporary full road closures will end on Friday May 3 at 4am.

Significant rainfall meant works scheduled earlier in April could not be undertaken safely.

The emergency works are intended to stabilise the road and prevent a full closure of both lanes, before more substantial repairs can be made to restore the road to two lanes.

TMR have declined to reveal any timeline on the reopening of both lanes but non-emergency works to reconstruct sections of the roadway that fell down the cliff are not expected to start for several months.

Night works to repair undermining of the Kuranda Range Rd is expected to be complete by Friday. Picture: TMR

“TMR is prioritising the design, relevant approvals and preparation of suitable construction methodologies for these recovery works,” a TMR statement said.

Rolling night road closures have been in place since January 4 and have continually been pushed back due to wet weather.

TMR acting district director of the Far North Darryl Jones said the works could only be carried out in dry conditions.

“Safety is our number one priority,” he said.

“When the dates for the three remaining nights are known, we will advise road users.

“I’d like to thank road users for their patience while we carry out these important works.”

Land slips have been impacting the Kuranda Range Road from both sides. Picture: TMR

“Once a program of works is finalised, TMR will advise the community of the expected construction time frames and traffic arrangements for the works.”

The future of the Kuranda Range has been a money pit for both the state and federal governments over many years.

Advocacy group Advance Cairns has pushed the Queensland government to use $20m of a $210m federal investment in the road towards investigating an alternative route.

“There have been 21 years of studies on the Kuranda Range Road with most recommendations not implemented,” said an Advance Cairns report released ahead of its latest Brisbane delegation.

Heavy seasonal rain has caused further landslides on the Kuranda Range Rd. Picture: Queensland Trucking

“Safety, capacity and efficiency issues are now at a critical point.

“Continued growth in tourism, agriculture, mining and population on the Tablelands and beyond mean it is imperative that a solution is developed for Cairns to Tablelands access prior to major crisis.”

Just last Thursday a rubbish truck rolled on the road, closing it for most of the day and forcing motorists to take lengthy alternative routes through either Gordonvale or Port Douglas.

Originally published as Kuranda Range emergency night works hit with fresh delays