Kuranda Range: Regional Development chair David Kempton proposes widening road

A regional leader has joined the call to fix the Kuranda Range, adding more solutions to the growing pile. But it’s claimed this proposal would be the quickest fix for the shortest route.

A PROPOSAL to widen the Kuranda Range Road has been put forward as a cost-effective solution to ease the pain of Far North drivers plagued by frequent delays.

Regional Development Australia Tropical North chair David Kempton said widening the existing Kuranda Range Road may be the most cost-effective medium-term way to Fix Our Broken Link.

“We can’t base the need for an upgrade off cars travelling per day because this is an issue of freight movement and safety,” he said.

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“Every proposal has its problems but we should be looking at the most cost efficient solution that ensures safety, otherwise the government will sit back and say we don’t need an upgrade based on money and traffic flow.”

Following a report which claimed the road would not reach full capacity for another 30 years, the Cairns Post launched a campaign to bring forward a fix.

Mr Kempton said as costs of development rise with no solution being settled on, widening the Range is a “serious option that ought to be considered.”

“If we were to widen the road to B-double standard we would have resolved our freight issue immediately, then we need to get into overtaking lanes so traffic can move frequently,” he said.

“It’s something that is possible within the current footprint with minimal disturbance to the Wet Tropics area.

“The situation is becoming critical, we can’t sit around and wait another 20 years to do something.”

Mr Kempton said each proposed route has its own issues and outlined the Quaid Road option, as an example, adds 31km to the trip.

Cairns Post campaign – Fix Our Broken Link.

“Member for Kennedy Bob Katter’s Bridle Path requires construction of 23km of roadway and tunnel which needs to avoid Copperlode Dam and would impact residential areas south of Cairns City,” he said.

“The Gillies and Palmerston routes are either not suitable or add too much distance to the route.

“Quaid Road requires significant upgrades as well as channelling heavy traffic at Wangetti, meaning the Cook Highway would also require an upgrade.”

Mareeba Chamber of Commerce president Joe Moro said Mr Kempton’s proposal is an old idea and if the funding had been approved “it would have been built by now.”

“It’s a complicated discussion because the Range serves as a multifaceted route and it’s imperative for Mareeba to Cairns connected travel,” he said.

“The Kuranda Range provides Mareeba with customers in the Tablelands, gives locals a route to necessary travel to collect groceries and for health reasons, and then there’s the component of freights and major truck movements.

“The chamber wants action. We’re neutral on which solution goes ahead, we just know we need one now.”

Originally published as Kuranda Range: Regional Development chair David Kempton proposes widening road