LNP commits to funding Upper Coomera’s John Muntz Bridge, saving Oxenford Pony Club
The LNP has declared they will fund new engineering works to save the Oxenford Pony Club and repair a controversial bridge if successful in the state election.
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THE LNP have declared they will fund a fix for a controversial $15 million Gold Coast bridge which catastrophically failed during 2017 floods.
Approach roads to the John Muntz Bridge in Upper Coomera were swept away during flooding caused by ex Cyclone Debbie, which also saw major erosion damage to the adjacent Oxenford Pony Club.
LNP Deputy Leader Tim Mander said the party would provide $750,000 to Gold Coast City Council to build a retaining wall and halt erosion in the area, if it wins the next election.
“(The damage) has also been an incredible congestion point when the road near the bridge has been washed out,” he said.
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“That’s caused considerable discomfort to people that live in this area and congestion because they can’t get through one of the major connection points here. That’s affected local businesses as well.”
Last week the Bulletin revealed an investigation had found removal of the old Coomera River weir for the bridge and excavation of a floodplain had led to the downstream erosion.
Aerial photographs showed nearby homes are now at low to moderate risk, but the Oxenford Pony Club will lose most of its land.
Council’s solution will be to protect the recently eroded section of river with rock fill behind the armoured rock riprap, likely to cost at least $1.97 million.
Roads Minister Mark Bailey said he had written to Mayor Tom Tate to offer Transport and Main Roads help with solutions for council-controlled land upstream nearby.
“We are happy to work collaboratively with local council to ensure any reinforcement works they require upstream do not impact the John Muntz Causeway,” he said.
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