The federal government will invest more than $826m in road and rail projects in Queensland in the next financial year, including more than $63m to make an early start on election commitments.
Overall, infrastructure funding for Queensland in 2008–09 includes:
- $603.9m for construction projects and maintenance on Queensland's 4,784km of road, as part of the road and rail National Land Transport Network
- $24.5m for 45 AusLink Strategic Regional projects promoting regional development
- $73.8m for local roads under the Roads to Recovery Program, which is in addition to the $108m allocated to roads under Federal Financial Assistance Grants
- $11.9m to eliminate 55 road safety 'black spots'
- $4.5m for non-AusLink roads
Included in the budget is $63.2m to fast-track Queensland infrastructure projects due to commence in 2009–10, as well as projects to upgrade interstate transport networks and critical freight corridors.
The $63.2m ‘fast-track’ commitments include:
- $22.5m for the upgrade of the Nerang South Interchange on the Pacific Motorway
- $20m to start construction of the Townsville Port Access Road and finish it up to two years early
- $5m for planning the Dinmore to Goodna upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway, in addition to major works already underway
- $4.5m towards sealing the final 15km of the Peninsula Development Road between Lakeland and Laura, north of Cairns
- $4.5m to provide more sealed roads, gravel road and creek crossings in the Cape York region
- $4m towards upgrading the Burdekin Bridge between Ayr and Home Hill
- $2m to complete design work for the Cardwell Range realignment on the Bruce Highway