Rangelink upbeat about Toowoomba Second Range Crossing bid

The boss of local construction giant Wagners has sold the benefits of the Rangelink consortium’s bid to build the $1.6b Toowoomba Second Range Bypass.

Wagners CEO Denis Wagner says the Rangelink consortium will deliver huge benefits to Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley if it wins the contract to build the Second Range Crossing. Picture: Derek Barry

The boss of local construction giant Wagners has sold the benefits of the Rangelink consortium's bid to build the $1.6 billion Toowoomba Second Range Bypass.

The firm is a key partner in the consortium and CEO Denis Wagner called the crossing the largest inland road project ever to be undertaken in Australia.

"Construction will take over three years however operation and maintenance will continue for another 25 years," Mr Wagner, the managing director of Wagners, said.

"Our consortium has been structured so that the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley region will be the major beneficiaries throughout the entire lifecycle of this project."

Mr Wagner was speaking at Wagners' own new Wellcamp Brisbane West airport last night where over 300 stakeholders from Toowoomba and the Lockyer gathered to hear an update on the bid.

Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio told the audience said the project was enormously important for the region and he was "positive" it would go ahead despite the political uncertainty in Queensland.

"Whoever wins (the election), I would suggest to you, the ship has sailed and this project is on," Mayor Antonio said.

"With the airport and the proposed Inland Rail this will provide us with the vital connectivity we needed for so long."

Mayor Antonio said the second crossing was vital because half of all the produce that left Brisbane port had to come down the range via Toowoomba.

He also had a wish list of what he wanted to see on the crossing, such as four lanes from Mort St interchange to the Warrego Highway, a grade separated connection to the Highway and a grade elevation of less than 4% so trucks could keep their speed up on the 100kph stretch.

Mr Wagner also admitted the terms of reference did not include a link to Wellcamp Airport.

"We would like to have a link to this airport," Mr Wagner.

"We put a proposal to the government to build it but unfortunately it would most likely be done at our cost."

Rangelink is one of three bidders for the project along with Nexus and Range Connect and bids are due by the end of the month.

Originally published as Rangelink upbeat about Toowoomba Second Range Crossing bid