Bipartisan pressure on Albanese to unlock funding for Cairns Western Arterial Rd duplication project

After flooding ravaged major roads in Cairns, FNQ politicians at all levels of government have demanded the federal government quickly release funding for a “vital” project that has been delayed.

A bipartisan band of Far North politicians has demanded the federal government unlock funding for a major project after flooding severed transport links throughout the region.

The $360m Cairns Western Arterial Rd duplication was a casualty of the federal government’s recent infrastructure review, sent to the delay pile after previous funding commitments.

The road was one of the few that survived the Far North’s recent flood crisis, providing the only link to motorists between Cairns and northern suburbs after land spills and flooded creeks swiftly closed the Captain Cook Hwy.

Flood waters lap at the Kamerunga bridge on Cairns Western Arterial Rd, which was one of few major roads to remain open during the recent flood crisis. Picture: Brendan Radke

But a city’s worth of traffic was choked by the road’s single lanes, causing hours of delays.

Barron River MP Craig Crawford said road’s tolerance of a one-in-100-year flood event was all the justification the federal government needed to unlock funding to improve interconnectivity in the region.

“It’s now an imperative,” Mr Crawford said.

“The Department of Transport and Main Roads has been ready to put the first section of the project out to tender for six months. It has been prevented by the infrastructure review.

Barron River MP Craig Crawford said completing the project was essential to transportation in the Cairns region. Picture: Glenn Campbell/NcaNewsWire

“Enough with the stuffing around; the money for this project has been sitting around for four years. Just let TMR get on with the work.”

The project was subject to an 80-20 funding arrangement, wherein the state government would provide at least $60m – the federal government was due to foot the bill for the other $300m, a commitment made by the LNP prior to the 2019 federal election.

The Albanese Government in its infrastructure review targeted projects the previous coalition government had made financial commitments to.

Mr Crawford said the endurance of the road through one of the worst natural disasters the region had experienced was sufficient cause for the current government to commit.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch agreed with Mr Crawford’s call to unlock funding for the project. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We’ve just had the mother of all rain bombs. The road has now shown itself to be the reliable lifeline for the northern beaches residents to get to Cairns, as the Captain Cook Hwy, simply due to topography, will always go underwater first,” he said.

“My concern is they were preparing to walk away from it before the flood. After this flooding, it’s time they committed to it. The state government cannot fund this on its own.”

Not one to usually takes sides with Mr Crawford, Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch agreed that duplicating the road was vital.

“TMR are ready to go on it, and thee money had been allocated, no question about it,” Mr Entsch said.

“You only had to see what happens, after this particular event, when the Captain Cook Hwy is shut off.

“The Kuranda, the Gillies and the Palmerston were all shut. It doesn’t have to be an event of this extent that can cause these problems.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to visit the region in the next 48 hours.

Originally published as Bipartisan pressure on Albanese to unlock funding for Cairns Western Arterial Rd duplication project