August 5, 2024
A Widgee resident is petitioning State Parliament for urgent upgrades to Gympie-Woolooga Road.
Ron Follett’s e-petition, sponsored by Member for Gympie Tony Perrett, says there has been an increasing number of crashes on the road, which links Glastonbury, Widgee and Lower Wonga to Gympie and the Wide Bay Highway.
Mr Follett’s petition reads:
Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the dangerous state of the Gympie-Woolooga Road (including Glastonbury Road and Betts Street) from the intersection with Exhibition Road to the Wide Bay Highway. Gympie is a high-growth region, and our transport routes are becoming congested, with an increasing number of near misses and accidents.
The Gympie-Woolooga Road is an east-west arterial in the Gympie region which is a major transport route for locals, visitors, and heavy transport including livestock cartage, timber and cement trucks. It also services rural residential and housing developments which are adding to the numbers of cars on the road. Two schools, Gympie South State School and Widgee State School are located on the road, and it also provides access for the Cooloola Christian College.
It is also used as an alternative route with traffic diverted on to the road when the Wide Bay Highway is cut.
The road is dangerous. It is over its designed capacity. Traffic is reduced to a single lane on four bridges, the road is constantly pitted with potholes, has deep verges, narrow in many sections and has limited overtaking opportunities. Drivers become frustrated, take risks and there have been numerous accidents and near misses.
Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to do all within its power to immediately upgrade the Gympie-Woolooga Road (including Glastonbury Road and Betts Street) from the intersection with Exhibition Road to the Wide Bay Highway to ensure safety for locals, workers, families and visitors.
The speed limit on a portion of the road was lowered four years ago after residents expressed concerns about safety.
A 90km/h limit was introduced by Transport and Main Roads between Bushland Drive and Widgee.
The 2020 review was conducted at the request of the community.
- External link: Gympie-Woolooga Road e-petition
