Hinchinbrook MP and KAP Deputy Leader and Rangewood residents express concern over Hervey Range Road safety upgrade

Residents of an outer Townsville suburb have expressed safety concerns over works being done on the intersection in and out of the area, saying drivers trying to turn in are ‘sitting ducks’ as cars whiz past at 100kmh.

Rangewood residents with KAP Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto.

A North Queensland MP and residents of a Townsville suburb have expressed their concerns over works currently being done to the intersection into their community.

Hinchinbrook MP and Katter’s Australian Party Deputy Leader Nick Dametto has joined Rangewood residents in their pleas to widen the turning lane into the area, with residents saying they have experienced or witnessed many near misses on the 100km/h stretch of road.

With more than 900 people living in Rangewood, residents say they were under the impression when the Department of Transport and Main Roads began the project in April of this year it would consist of a merging lane when coming out of Rangewood heading into Townsville and a wider and safer marked right turning lane coming into Rangewood.

Plans show this is not the case, with residents saying the very narrow right hand turning lane is not being modified at all and despite being vocal on Facebook and emailing their concerns since May, TMR told them it is too late in the project to change plans as the works near completion in October.

The intersection into Rangewood, which is currently under construction.

Mr Dametto said the $30 million Hervey Range Developmental Road (Townsville – Battery) Safety Upgrade Project was supposed to enhance safety but “appears to be doing the exact opposite”.

“It’s ironic that a project labelled as a ‘safety upgrade’ is actually not addressing the main risk point in the area that is putting lives at stake,” Mr Dametto said.

“As soon as Rangewood residents learned of the project, they immediately raised the alarm with Transport and Main Roads who are responsible for delivering the project. Their concerns were clear: the current plans are unsafe and inadequate, mainly due to the turning lane, located within a 100 kilometre per hour zone, being far too narrow for cars, let alone larger vehicles.”

Rangewood resident of 29 years Lisha Kayrooz said vehicles waiting in the lane to turn right become “sitting ducks”.

“I have had two personal scares and I’ve heard the stories of a lot of other people who have had some pretty serious near misses as well,” he said.

“The risk is oncoming traffic moving out of their lane for whatever reason and lining up directly at you while you are sitting there stationary unable to manoeuvre because you are at a standstill.”

Rangewood resident Lisha Kayrooz and KAP Deputy Leader and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto.

Mr Kayrooz said he and other residents were fearful their feelings of being unheard may continue, risking the safety of drivers.

“It shouldn’t take a fatality to get a safety upgrade. Which one of us will it be? We were told that it would cost too much to change it now. Tell that to the Coroner when there’s a fatality,” Mr Kayrooz said.

“A simple pin-on concrete median strip would make the world of difference – oncoming vehicles would get a small jolt if they wandered out of their lane and the jolt wouldn’t be the front of my car.”

Mr Dametto said the main goal was for TMR to “listen to the residents”.

“All we are asking is while Transport and Main Roads are building and reviewing the safety of this intersection and doing it up to a better standard for the safety reasons, is to actually listen to these residents,” he said.

“Listen to these people that use this road every day. Make sure that while you have the machinery here, the ability to actually change the design, change the design so it’s safer for these residents that are coming in every day.”

A spokesperson from the Department of Transport and Main Roads said in response to the residents concerns that safety it their top priority.

“The project has been in planning for several years, during which TMR has been engaging with the community, and TMR is now in the final stages of delivering the Rangewood Drive portion of the project,” they said.

They said improvements to the rural intersection at Rangewood Drive include the construction of a dedicated left turn lane into and a dedicated left turn lane out of Rangewood Drive, including an acceleration lane, which will significantly reduce the risk of serious crashes for those exiting the 100km/hr zone into Rangewood or merging onto Hervey Range Road.

“These upgrades complement the existing channelised right turn lane into Rangewood Drive, which is the recommended safety standard for rural intersections.”

“TMR can confirm that after the project commenced, one resident had reached out regarding concerns related to the right turn lane into Rangewood Drive and TMR had been actively engaging and providing information regarding the design of the project to respond to these questions. TMR had not been contacted by any further residents regarding the right turn lane into Rangewood Drive until late August.”

They said a coordinated mail delivery of flyers to all Rangewood residences regarding the construction commencement at Rangewood Drive and the scope of works was delivered in June 2024.

‘This flyer provided an email address and a phone number for residents to contact to discuss any project related matters.’

The department said that any adjustments at this late stage would compromise the safety measures already put in place.

“TMR remains committed to monitoring effectiveness of these safety upgrades and welcomes ongoing community feedback to ensure our roads remain safe for everyone.”

Originally published as Hinchinbrook MP and KAP Deputy Leader and Rangewood residents express concern over Hervey Range Road safety upgrade