A plan that will enable road trains to bypass Blackall on their way to the town's saleyards has been given the green light with the announcement of $950,000 in funding under the federal government's Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.
The heavy vehicle bypass was one of three saleyards access programs in the Maranoa electorate granted money in this week's announcement.
According to Maranoa MP David Littleproud the federal government will invest more than $9.3 million across 14 road infrastructure projects in the electorate under round five of the Bridges Renewal Program and round seven of the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.
Along with the million dollar program for Blackall, $675,000 has been made available to upgrade traffic movement and accessibility at the Roma Saleyards, and another $550,770 will improve the heavy vehicle access, including loading and unloading ramps and driver amenities, at the Western Queensland Livestock Exchange in Longreach.
In Roma, the funds will go to the Primaries Road, which provides access to the western side of the Roma Saleyards precinct.
Primaries Road is accessed from via Billy Bob Way from the Warrego Highway or can be accessed via Roma Downs Road and Billy Bob Way off the Carnarvon Highway.
The project will provide an additional access for heavy vehicles from the Warrego Highway to the Roma Saleyards precinct, benefiting all heavy vehicle users loading into and out of the saleyards, and also increase the safety of heavy vehicle movements within the facility.
Blackall-Tambo mayor Andrew Martin said the alternate access route to the Blackall Saleyards would restore peace and quiet, and safety, to Blackall residents.
At present there is no direct sealed road train access to the saleyards for trucks coming in from the east.
While there is a readily accessible heavy vehicle diversion through Blackall for traffic from the south and the west, it still passes through town streets, and for trucks coming in from Jericho or Tambo to the east, a number of sharp turns are required to join the existing road train route.
Cr Martin estimated that of the 100,000 cattle that had been sold at Blackall in the past six months, 10,000 of them would have been delivered on 400 trucks coming from the east.
He said the planned bypass wouldn't take business away from the town.
"You'll still be able to go round the back way for tyres, and fuel and food," he said.
"We'll be encouraging heavy vehicles of all sorts to use the new road, even general freight.
"I know which I'd prefer to use if I were a truck driver."
Some of the other heavy vehicle infrastructure projects funded in Maranoa under the HVSPP include sealing the Hebel Goodooga Road from Hebel to the NSW border, a pavement upgrade at Amby, rest area upgrades on the Kennedy Developmental Road at Winton, an intersection upgrade in the Inglewood Industrial Estate, widening and reconstructing Curtain Road between Lyra and Ballandean, and widening the Barwon Highway between Talwood and Nindigully.
"This vital funding will allow communities across Maranoa to fast-track their highest-priority infrastructure projects, providing a much-needed boost to local jobs and the economy," Mr Littleproud said.
"I am pleased to see 14 projects across Maranoa will receive a total of $9,307,161 to do exactly that at a time when it couldn't be needed more.
"The Bridges Renewal Program has already delivered a number of stronger and safer bridges for residents in Maranoa, and this latest round will support five new projects to upgrade and replace damaged or deteriorating bridges.
"These projects are about getting drivers on our roads home sooner and safer, and making key freight routes more efficient, while also boosting local jobs and getting cash flowing in our regional towns."
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said 50 per cent of the funding would benefit communities impacted by the ongoing drought and earlier bushfire events.
"$146.97 million in funding through these rounds will go to councils affected by bushfires, drought or both - providing secure work for local construction contractors and businesses who have felt the cumulative impact of these events and now COVID-19 while delivering lasting infrastructure that will benefit the region for years to come," Mr Buchholz said.
Projects funded across Maranoa include:
Bridges Renewal Program Round 5 -
- $1,818,487 to replace existing timber bridge at Bundi Road, Wandoan.
- $264,576 to replace the existing timber bridge on Muggins Lane, Yuleba.
- $30,000 for structural maintenance repairs and guard rail replacement on K.T. Peters Bridge, South Burnett.
- $231,825 to replace the existing culvert structure on Connolly Dam Road, Silverwood.
- $532,500 to replace the existing floodway with a dual-lane bridge on Homestead Road, Rosenthal Heights.
Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program Round 7 -
- $675,000 to extend Primaries Road for users at the Roma Saleyards Facility
- $667,460 to seal the Hebel Goodooga Road from Hebel to the QLD / NSW border.
- $157,500 for a heavy vehicle pavement upgrade on Creek Street, Amby.
- $950,000 for an alternative heavy vehicle route at the Blackall Saleyards.
- $550,770 to upgrade heavy vehicle access, loading and unloading ramps, traffic movement and driver amenities at the Western Queensland Livestock Exchange in Longreach.
- $265,000 for upgrades to the Kennedy Developmental Road Rest Area, Winton
- $54,043 to upgrade the Tomkins Street and Killen Street intersection in the Inglewood Industrial Estate.
- $610,000 to widen and reconstruct Curtain Road, Lyra and Ballandean
- $2,500,000 to widen the Barwon Highway between Talwood and Nindigully.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
