Qld councils to benefit from remote roads upgrade program

Thirty-three projects, including 13 in Queensland, are getting a share of the Commonwealth’s $150 million Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program.

Eleven Queensland councils will benefit from the more than $62 million in grants to upgrade unsealed roads to improve safety, connectivity and freight productivity, a result welcomed by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ).

Nine upgrades in NSW will be allocated around $33 million, while Victoria will receive $21.04 million for two upgrades.

Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Barnaby Joyce announced the RRUP program last November to “addresses significant deficiencies on key regional and rural roads that limit community access, pose safety risks and impact the economic development of the surrounding area”.

Applications closed on 20 February.

In other funding news, 27 projects totalling $48.3 million have been announced under Commonwealth’s Bridges Renewal Program.

They include $5 million towards a replacement bridge over Dora Creek, Martinsville in the Lake Macquarie City Council local government area and $9.48 million for three bridge replacement/upgrades in the Yass Valley Council LGA.

Among other LGAs to successfully nominate projects was the City of Gosnells in Perth, which will will receive $4.5 million to replace the Station Street Bridge in Gosnells.

Since the Bridges Renewal Program began in 2015-16 it has supported 730 projects, of which 495 projects have been completed.

A full list of successful projects can be found here.

Twenty-eight projects totalling $56.2 million have been announced under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.

The announcement follows change to the HVSP program guidelines allowing project proponents to apply for funding to cover up to 80 percent of total costs.

More than $650 million has been provided through the HVSPP from 2013-14 to 2025-26, with an ongoing commitment of $65 million per year.

Click here to see a list of successful projects.