Range of local road and drainage projects get underway this week

Fraser Coast residents will have safer and smoother journeys as a result of more than $815,000 worth of roadworks and drainage projects starting throughout the region this week.

Cr Phil Truscott said Council was determined to ensure the Fraser Coast had resilient regional infrastructure that supported and catered for our current population and future growth.

“Council is responsible for about 2700 kilometres of roads and footpaths throughout the region, and about a third of our capital works budget is allocated to maintaining and improving roads, footpaths, bridges and drainage,” he said.

“A range of works are getting underway this week including the introduction of a one way arrangement for Inman Street from Mayne Street to Copenhagen Street in Tiaro together with on-street parking areas.

“Council will also be spending $320,000 on kerb and channel replacement and asphalt works on Tooley Street from Woodstock Street to Wilson Street in Maryborough.

“This work will be done in two stages over the next four months and will be undertaken by Council’s workforce.”

Cr Truscott said work was also starting on the construction of a new two-metre wide concrete channel between Saltwater Creek Road and Island Plantation Road in Maryborough to improve stormwater flow.

“These drainage works will be carried out by local company CMC at a cost of about $185,000 with the work expected to be completed by early June,” he said.

Cr Truscott said about $80,000 worth of sealed road maintenance night works would start on Sunday 9 May through to Thursday 13 May on and around Torquay and Islander roads in Hervey Bay.

“The onsite works will be between 6pm and 4am with one lane to be closed at a time under traffic control,” he said.

“We apologise for any inconvenience and thank everyone for their patience while these works are under way.”

Cr Truscott said the Tiaro works flowed from recommendations made by a Tiaro Community Working Group set up by Council and the Queensland Government to consider upgrades in and around the main street in the wake of the highway bypass project.

“The project provides for the introduction of a one way arrangement for Inman Street with on-street parking areas and will include road widening, the creation of a new traffic island, line marking and turfing works,” he said.

“Additional on-street parking areas for Kooringa Road in Tiaro are also proposed.

“This $230,000 project, which is expected to be complete by early June, is being funded through the State Government’s COVID Works for Queensland program.”

The infrastructure upgrades getting underway this week follow $1.67 million of Council projects that started last month including:

• Exeter Street/Bideford Street intersection upgrade in Hervey Bay, $100,000, funded through the Australian Government’s Black Spot program;
• Replacement of St Mary’s Bridge at Benarige Creek, Tiaro, $704,784, to improve flood immunity and eliminate load restrictions currently imposed on the old bridge;
• New footpath from Riverview Drive to Burrum Heads boat ramp, $381,940; and

Road reconstruction of Abbott Road from the intersection of Sykes Road to the end of Abbott Road, Glenwood, $480,008.