October 17, 2013
The South Burnett Regional Council will spend its 2014-15 Roads To Recovery grant money on four long-standing road improvement projects in the Kingaroy area.
Roads To Recovery is a Federal Government grants program that assists local governments with road infrastructure management.
At yesterday’s monthly meeting, councillors agreed to spend next year’s $1.174 million grant on these four projects:
- Haly Street (pavement widening, Rixon Street to Mt Wooroolin) – $204,000
- Clarke & Swendsons Road (floodway) – $170,000
- First Avenue (River Road to Logan Street floodway) – $500,000
- Ellesmere Road (Old Taabinga Road intersection) – $300,000
Roads Portfolio chairperson Cr Damien Tessmann told councillors “we’ve all seen these sites and know they really need work”.
But Cr Kathy Duff said she disagreed with the choices.
“There are timber bridges all across our region that need replacing and I’d like to see more of our worst bridges considered right now,” she said.
Cr Keith Campbell said the floodways at Clark & Swendsons Road and First Avenue “have been problems for many, many years” and the Ellesmere-Old Taabinga Road intersection was dangerous.
“Cr Duff is right, but these projects need to be done now,” he said.
Cr Deb Palmer said she didn’t think the Roads To Recovery money would cover many bridges anyway, since an average replacement seemed to cost $1 million to $1.5 million.
Mayor Kratzmann agreed but added that the Local Government Association was pushing for a parallel, federally funded “Bridges To Recovery” program to assist rural and regional councils with bridge replacements and he hoped the Federal Government would take up the idea.
“I agree with Cr Duff on the bridge situation,” he said. “But I also agree with Cr Campbell that these four projects need to be done now.”
The nominated projects were accepted.
- Related article: Three Roads Earmarked For Recovery
