STOP AND THINK AGAIN
Motorists see red over traffic lights in $152m bypass plan
A REDESIGN of the $152 million Smithfield bypass is being called for after two flaws have emerged – traffic lights at the Yorkeys Knob turn-off and the northern overpass overshooting McGregor Rd.
TWO short-listed Smithfield bypass tenderers still have time to weave extra overpasses into their designs.
The $152 million budget is fixed but Roads Minister Mark Bailey said he was working with the duelling contractors to finalise their concepts.
“The short-listed tenderers will propose value-for-money innovations and changes to the concept design during the preliminary design phase,” Mr Bailey said.
Cairns Regional Council Division 9 councillor Brett Olds raised concerns the current route was not linked to James Cook University, meaning students and staff would be forced to drive to the Trinity Park turn-off to access the new road.
“That university is going to be a major hub,” Cr Olds said. “It’s just not planned well.” Mr Bailey said the university’s leadership would be included in the design process.
“We are working with key stakeholders, including JCU, as we complete design works and will continue to do so,” he said.
Barron River MP Craig Crawford assured motorists the bypass was not being built in a vacuum and other upgrades across the northern entrance to the city were on his and Cairns MP Michael Healy’s radar.
He said the Department of Transport and Main Roads was compiling and costing a list of projects to ease peakhour congestion.
“They are currently preparing for us some planning options,” he said.
“Hopefully we can get something in time for Michael and I to make a pitch to the minister before the budget cycle coming up.”
Adding new lanes to the Captain Cook Hwy and extra turning lanes to the Cairns Airport were two options being considered.
“We’re not proposing to change the speed limit past Mother of Good Counsel School at all,” he said. “We’re seeing if there’s a model where we can get more cars through that space per minute.
“One option they are looking at is a third lane inbound down as far as maybe Tobruk Pool, with an option of going even further into town in the future.
“And potentially, the same on the other side for the evening traffic coming out of town.”
The clock is ticking to get properly costed plans ready in time for inclusion in the midyear budget process.
“We need the department to get to the point where they’ve got a plan and with a plan comes a dollar figure,” Mr Crawford said.
“Once we’ve got the dollar figure I can go to Cabinet.”
Cr Olds said council engineers had developed their own list of road projects that would cost the same as the $152 million bypass and be a better weapon in the war on traffic jams.
Mayor Bob Manning said it would be a moot point – nothing would change the State Government’s mind now.
“It is absolutely stupid to stand in front of a bus on that one,” Cr Manning said.
THAT UNIVERSITY IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR HUB. IT’S JUST NOT PLANNED WELL. CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL DIVISION 9 CR BRETT OLDS