Cape roads. Frontier slowly tamed as TMR hit PDR safety milestones
Construction of a new bridge is the latest road upgrade milestone to tame a wild Cape York frontier as TMR weighs in on the contentious crossing of the Jardine River. Find out what else is on the cards here.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Construction of a 90-metre-bridge spanning Saltwater Creek near the Musgrave Roadhouse is the latest road upgrade milestone to tame a wild Cape York frontier as Transport and Main Roads weigh in on the contentious crossing of the Jardine River.
Under a $237.5m Stage 2 Cape York Region Package, only 145km of the 571km Peninsula Developmental Road will remain unsealed.
A 200km sealed section of the PDR between Merluna and York Downs was completed this month and the opening of a new Saltwater Creek bridge – replacing a low-level causeway – marked the most significant project milestone to date.
Contractors McConnell Dowell are currently building a 230m bridge across the notoriously dangerous Archer River, 60km north of Coen, in a project expected to be complete in 2023, weather and conditions permitting.
Further north, construction on the Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council section of Portland Roads Rd is also under way and set to open to traffic later this year.
Work on the Cook Shire Council section of the road is expected to start in the 2023-24 financial year.
Sharing the cost of upgrades to State Route 81 in a 80:20 state federal split, Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said safety and reliability was the focus of improved river crossings.
“Anyone who knows Cape York will understand the PDR will always be prone to flooding and closures,” she said.
“The construction of the first bridge under this package is a positive step towards easing floodwater levels and road closures during the prolonged wet season each year.”
Increasing by $10 in 2022 to $110 per car, the cost of the Jardine River ferry at the gateway to the northern peninsular area sparked conversations about the viability of a bridge across the waterway.
However a TMR spokesman stated the Northern Peninsula Rd is a local government road under the jurisdiction of Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council.
“Any proposal to build a bridge over Jardine River would need to be driven by council,” the spokesman said.
“We are not involved in how ferry fees are set, collected or distributed.”
From the Laura turn-off, there were 4074 vehicles recorded travelling on the PDR between May 1 and September 30 this year, according to an official TMR count.
More Coverage
Originally published as Cape roads. Frontier slowly tamed as TMR hit PDR safety milestones
Helicopter sent to man trapped in truck on PDR
A man remains trapped in the cab of a truck on a remote Cape York road after rolling his vehicle. The rescue chopper has just landed at the scene.
Stunning images and footage of major army exercise
Stunning images from a major army exercise offer an insider’s perspective on the large-scale training held this week at Cowley Beach in Queensland, where soldiers honed their skills in handling large volumes of fuel.