Labor promises fast-tracked Sunshine Motorway upgrades after horror crashes
A Sunshine Coast Labor candidate has promised fast-tracked upgrades to the Sunshine Motorway, just hours after a horror head-on crash left three people fighting for life.
Sunshine Coast
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The state government has promised they will fast-track upgrades to the Sunshine Motorway if re-elected, just hours after a horror head-on crash left three people fighting for life.
In an announcement on Saturday night, the state government revealed they will bring forward $3m for the business case on upgrades to the Sunshine Motorway between Pacific Paradise and Coolum, if re-elected.
The key features of the Sunshine Motorway upgrades include duplicating the current lanes and a new interchange at the Yandina-Coolum Rd roundabout to ease congestion and improve safety.
Labor candidate for Ninderry, Jo Justo, said under a re-elected Labor government the business case for the upgrade would begin next year.
“The Miles Labor Government has undertaken the necessary planning for this future growth, including community consultation for upgrades to the Sunshine Motorway from Pacific Paradise to Coolum,” Ms Justo said.
“I’m pleased to confirm that following advocacy from my community, a re-elected Miles Labor Government will bring forward $3 million to kick start the business case for this project next year.”
The pledge came hours after a head-on crash between a Toyota HiLux and a Holden Commodore on the Sunshine Motorway at Coolum Beach left three people with life-threatening injuries.
On Monday, October 7, a Sunshine Coast mother and doctor was killed when her Tesla collided head-on with a Toyota HiLux travelling on the same stretch of the road.
In both crashes, police said the cars were travelling in opposite directions, prompting calls from the community for the Sunshine Motorway to be duplicated.
“Maybe it is time for more lanes and a divided road,” one commenter wrote on Facebook in the aftermath of the crash.
“When is the state government ever going to fix these roads,” another commenter said.
Ninderry MP, Dan Purdie, announced earlier this month the LNP would spend $40m on new south-facing ramps at Mt Coolum as the “next step”, if elected.
However, Mr Purdie previously stopped short of confirming whether the LNP would deliver the motorway’s duplication from two to four lanes, when asked by this publication.
“Last year we secured $3m for the business case, but Labor pushed that out another year in this year’s state budget,” Mr Purdie said.
On Sunday, Mr Purdie did not respond to questions asking whether the LNP would match Labor’s promise to fast-track the upgrades.
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