Katter's Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has called on the state government to urgently undertake a significant repair on what he said was the deteriorating safety conditions of the Warrigal Creek Bridge.
"The state of Warrigal Creek Bridge, as well as this stretch of the Flinders Highway in general, is not something that has crept up on the state government," Mr Katter said.
"They have allowed this stretch of road (to) be flogged for years, loading more and more freight on the road from the rail, and failing to maintain a minimum standard of safety on it".
Mr Katter said it was embarrassing a corridor which carries $5.7 billion worth of value, located on the Flinders Highway between Charter towers and Pentland, the Warrigal Creek Bridge has been deemed unsafe and is presently reduced to single-lane traffic that must travel at a 20km/h speed limit.
According to the Department of Transport and Main Roads website, as of November 14, 2023, at 06:02 am, "TMR identified deterioration of some sections of the bridge deck," it posted.
"The 20km/h speed restriction is necessary to ensure the bridge can remain operational for all vehicles (including heavy vehicles) while TMR completes further technical assessments".
But Mr Katter said the region needed a clear timeline as to when bridge works would commence and be completed.
He said while the department had advised that it is "continuing to complete technical investigations to determine rehabilitation or upgrade options," the ridge is a vital link between the resource-rich North West Minerals Province and the east coast, and is heavily used by locals, travellers, and freight carriers.
Mr. Katter said truck drivers had reported that TMRs current arrangement was an "accident waiting to happen," with trucks having to decelerate from 60 km/hr to 20 km/hr and having to negotiate the narrow-lane bridge.
"Now the road and bridges are crumbling, to the point they're dangerous, and they're looking for a band-aid fix," he said.
"No Transport Minister worth his salt would willingly put his name to the way that a vital, highly-profitable, stretch of road is being managed - he needs to see its current condition with his own eyes."
Mr. Katter said he was also concerned that little consideration had been given to ensure the bridge's capacity aligns with the requirements of the CopperString 2032 Project set to commence mid-2024.
"As CopperString 2032 gears up for construction, the existing state of Warrigal Creek Bridge raises concerns about its ability to handle the increased traffic load associated with this significant undertaking", he said.
"Once again, the spotlight highlights the ongoing challenges confronting regional Queensland's road infrastructure - lack of road maintenance, a decline in rail transportation causing an upsurge in heavy tonnage traffic on deteriorating road conditions, and a glaring deficit in government funding, which is blatantly contrasted against the backdrop of an excessive allocation of resources to a Brisbane train project and the Olympic Games."
"Road users traversing the Warrigal Creek Bridge deserve assurance that their safety is top priority and that swift measures will be promptly implemented by the government to rectify the issues with the bridge."
