Toowoomba Regional Council says upgrading region’s worst roads is more than 10 years off completion due to financial constraints

It would cost more than $23m for the Toowoomba Regional Council to upgrades its 10 highest-priority rural roads. Here’s why that is a long way off from happening.

The Toowoomba Regional Council says it is unlikely to upgrade some of its worst roads any time soon. Photo by Jodie Locke.

The Toowoomba region’s worst rural roads are unlikely to be upgraded within the next decade due to financial constraints.

The Toowoomba Regional Council’s infrastructure general manager Mike Brady revealed a list of the 10 roads most requiring a bitumen seal at a committee meeting with councillors on Tuesday.

The total cost of upgrading the 35km of dirt road across the region would be more than $23m.

The list is created based on a multi-criteria assessment score by the council to prioritise the roads most needing attention.

But when Cr Rebecca Vonhoff questioned what timelines would be like to complete the upgrades, Mr Brady said it was well into the long term.

“Just for that top 10, we’re looking at more than 10 years to complete those roads if we don’t get that external funding?” Cr Vonhoff asked.

“It’s potentially worse than that, considering these don’t even get to be considered by council,” Mr Brady replied.

“They stay on the council’s ‘would be good to do’ list.

“Unless council makes a budgetary commitment, there is no way we can give any timeline as to when we can get a road considered for upgrading and sealing.”

The list was supplied as part of a motion to consider sealing Merritts Creek Road at Merritts Creek, which has constantly been raised by residents.

The councillors voted to not seal the road, since the route was not featured in the top 10.

You can view the list of roads here.