Toowoomba council identifies $200m in new cycling infrastructure, reveals 20 top-priority projects

The 20 highest-priority cycling projects have been identified by the Toowoomba council, at a cost of more than $10m. But there are some major funding challenges facing their development.

The Toowoomba Regional Council has identified $200m worth of cycling infrastructure.

Creating a well-connected cycling network across the Toowoomba region could cost the council more than $200m, with a sobering report highlighting the funding challenges facing its development.

The new report into the region’s cycling infrastructure planning, presented to councillors at Tuesday’s committee meeting, also revealed it could take 30 years for the council to build just the 10 highest-priority projects based on its current funding priorities.

The findings come on the back of a report into the priority cycle network (PCN) by PSA Consulting and initiatives endorsed by the TRC’s Regional Active and Public Transport Advisory Committee (RAPTAC) last year, which included funnelling more of council’s budget into cycling infrastructure.

Senior transport planner Brian McKay’s report this week revealed the council had invested very little into cycling paths, lanes and other infrastructure across its five previous budgets.

“At the time of the information session (in November) council had spent approximately $1.7m on cycleways over the previous five years,” the report said.

“Under these expenditure levels, it would take council over 30 years to deliver the top 10 initiatives identified within the PSA Consulting report (from September 2020).

“This delivery time frame could be expedited to five years should council continue to support the forecast expenditure levels as outlined in the current 10 year capital works program.”

The PCN report identified more than 600 individual pieces of cycling infrastructure totalling $202m, nearly a third of which ($64m) should be considered the highest priority.

More than $132m worth of the potential network (385 items) would be in Toowoomba, but other communities identified included Highfields (80 items for $28m) and Oakey (54 items for $15.3m).

Infrastructure portfolio leader and RAPTAC chair Councillor Melissa Taylor said the council should commit more funding to active transport works in future budgets.

“There are so many competing interests, but it’s really how we want our region to develop,” she said.

“I do commend this report and I look forward to considering what investment we can make into our region.”

Toowoomba Top 10 Priorities:

1. Herries Street – Kitchener Street to Anzac Avenue (Westbound) – PCN project 2022/23

2. Herries Street – Anzac Avenue to Kitchener Street (Eastbound) – PCN project 2022/23

3. New England Highway – Warrego Highway to Stenner Street (DTMR PCN Project)

4. Drayton Road – South Street to Stenner Street (Southbound) – PCN link

5. Drayton Road – Stenner Street to South Street (Northbound) – PCN link

6. Margaret Street – Lindsay Street to Neil Street (Westbound) – PCN link

7. Margaret Street – Neil Street to Lindsay Street (Eastbound) – PCN link

8. Margaret Street – West Street to Victoria Street (Eastbound) – PCN link

9. Margaret Street – Victoria Street to West Street (Westbound) – PCN link

10. Baker Street – College access to West Street – PCN link

Total distance of facilities 15km, notional council cost $6M

Regional Top 10 Priorities:

1. Highfields – O’Brien Road to Reis Road (Eastbound) – PCN detailed design 2022/23

2. Oakey – Campbell Street from Bridge Street to Aubigny Street (Southbound) – DTMR link PCN

3. Pittsworth – Yandilla Street from Clifton Road to Murray Street (Eastbound) – DTMR link

4. Highfields – Reis Road to O’Brien Road (Westbound) – PCN detailed design 2022/23

5. Oakey – Campbell Street from Aubigny Street to Bridge Street (Northbound) – DTMR link

6. Pittsworth – Yandilla Street from Murray Street to Clifton Road (Westbound) – DTMR link

7. Pittsworth – Murray Street from Railway Street to Hume Street (Northbound) – PCN link

8. Highfields – Kratzke Road from Woolmer Road to Highfields Road (Eastbound) – PCN link

9. Pittsworth – Murray Street from Weale Street to Hume Street (Northbound) DTMR link

10. Highfields – Highfields Road from O’Brien Road to Andersson Court – PCN link

Total distance of facilities 10km, notional council cost $4.5m