New options to upgrade the Warrego Highway-Mount Crosby Road interchange will be progressed by the State Government after the engagement of a consulting firm to undertake a new business case.
Division 4 Councillor Russell Milligan said he was pleased the State Government had listened to the Ipswich community’s concerns about the proposed upgrade.
“Advocating for upgrading the Mt Crosby Interchange has been a high priority for the new Ipswich City Council given its impacts on the safety and congestion of the Warrego Highway,” Cr Milligan said.
“The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) undertook community consultation on a proposed design for the Warrego Highway – Mount Crosby Road interchange upgrade in mid-2020.
“A consultation summary report came out in July 2021 showing the majority (about 70 per cent) of the 602 responses from the community were not satisfied that the proposed design at the time would adequately address the primary issues of safety and congestion.
“Significant areas of concern with that design were the lack of additional capacity at the interchange and the need for additional lanes or an extra bridge across the Warrego Highway in order to reduce conflict points on the southern roundabout in North Tivoli.”
The $5 million business case is being funded with $4 million from the Federal Government and $1 million from the State Government.
Additional options are now being developed to include in the interchange upgrade business case.
Division 4 Councillor Kate Kunzelmann said Ipswich is the fastest growing city in Queensland and will welcome an extra 330,000 people over the next 20 years.
“Growth at the levels we’re experiencing in Ipswich, without the supporting transport infrastructure, is simply not sustainable with Ipswich residents expected to wait years for major transport infrastructure to keep up with increased traffic demand and substantial growth in the interchange area,” Cr Kunzelmann said.
“Residents are concerned for their safety as they are stuck queuing at the southern roundabout and are pushed right out on the Warrego Highway or trying to exit the Warrego Highway travelling eastward and find themselves at a standstill in the left lane as traffic goes past doing 100km/hr.”
A tender to progress business case planning for additional options to upgrade the Warrego Highway-Mount Crosby Road interchange has been awarded to GHD Group Pty Ltd.
For more information about the Warrego Highway-Mount Crosby Road interchange upgrade project or to view the consultation summary report, visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au