Range road’s dreadful woes

THE Kuranda Range Rd (Kennedy Highway) between Cairns and the Atherton Tablelands is a vital road connection used by thousands of drivers every day.

It is the quickest way to the Tablelands from the coast and provides a link for commuters and workers, heavy transport and tourism operators, tourists, business people and residents needing to get to either destination in the fastest and most efficient way.

Alternatives, such as the Gillies Range Rd south of Cairns and the Rex Range Rd west of Port Douglas, take longer and are further.

It doesn’t take much to shut down the Kuranda Range. Once again this week a truck rollover resulted in the closure for several hours both ways.

The crash was in relatively fine weather. Add some rain and the road becomes a risky, slippery slope.

Over time, the road has been upgraded but remains mostly single lanes up and down except for a few overtaking lanes.

Something needs to be done to improve this crucial connection.

Four-lanes would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, take years to complete and cause severe inconvenience. A $1 billion-plus tunnel cannot be financially justified.

The State Government has consistently refused to consider gazetting and improving the 32kmlong private Quaid Rd between Wangetti and Southedge.

Another possibility is a new route south of the Kennedy Highway between Kuranda and Mareeba, linked to Lake Morris Rd to Kanimbla.

Unfortunately we don’t live in the south-east and there are not enough voters and taxpayers to justify anything but crumbs from the state coffers. Nick Dalton Deputy editor