{"id":150307,"date":"2016-06-30T23:37:04","date_gmt":"2016-06-30T13:37:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=150307"},"modified":"2020-10-10T16:09:08","modified_gmt":"2020-10-10T06:09:08","slug":"swickers-upgrade-forces-road-closure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/06\/30\/swickers-upgrade-forces-road-closure\/","title":{"rendered":"Swickers Upgrade Forces Road Closure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FLASHBACK: Former Energy and Water Supply Minister Mark McArdle with Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, Swickers general manager Linchon Hawks and South Burnett Mayor Keith Campbell at the intersection of Kingaroy-Barkers Creek Road and Clark and Swendson Road in January last year when the State Government announced it would fund the $1.5 million project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 30, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kingaroy’s Clark and Swendson Road will remain closed between Keith Shaw Drive and the Kingaroy Barkers Creek Road until the end of the year.<\/p>\n

The South Burnett Regional Council said today the road closure was necessary to provide a safe working environment for its staff as they begin work to upgrade the intersection outside Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory.<\/p>\n

As part of the project, the Council will also widen 400 metres of Clark and Swendson Road, and install a reinforced concrete floodway south of the intersection.<\/p>\n

Signage will be in place to detour traffic around the area, but property owners within the closed area will be given access.<\/p>\n

The intersection upgrade and associated works will cost $1.5 million.<\/p>\n

The project is being funded by the Queensland Government, who announced in January last year that the money had been set aside from Round 4 of its “Royalties For Regions” program to allow the work to go ahead.<\/p>\n

The road widening and floodway construction is being separately funded by the Federal Government’s Roads To Recovery program.<\/p>\n

“Swickers Kingaroy Bacon Factory is a major industry for Kingaroy and a significant contributor to the local economy,” a Council spokesman said.<\/p>\n

“The business is required to upgrade its vehicle access points to meet quality control and hygiene standards.<\/p>\n

“This involves the provision of a new access into the site from Clark and Swendson Road, to allow further flexibility with their business operations.”<\/p>\n

The Council will be upgrading the intersection to accommodate B-Double operations, and will also widen the northern and southern sides of Kingaroy Barkers Creek Road.<\/p>\n

Work began on the project in late April and is expected to take seven months, weather permitting.<\/p>\n