COUNCIL TO SPEND $ 1M ON RURAL ROADS

Upgrades will change our lives, residents say

TOWNSVILLE City Council will spend $ 1 million on improving gravel roads across the city amid fears poor conditions could cause a serious accident.

In its first pre- budget announcement, the council has allocated funding to upgrade gravel roads in suburbs including Roseneath and Pinnacles.

Infrastructure Committee chair Councillor Mark Molachino, whose division includes suburbs in the Upper Ross, said the gravel roads could get “pretty banged up” during North Queensland’s wet season.

“We have committed $ 1 million next year to get this program up and running again after being on hiatus for a few years,” Cr Molachino said.

“Making these roads weatherproof is something I promised the residents in my community during the election. They have been asking about this for some time and I am very happy to say this council is delivering.”

The funding is in addition to the $ 1.1 million to go towards ongoing maintenance of 179km of dirt roads in the region over the next 12 months.

Cr Molachino said to be able to weatherproof some of the gravel roads was a big win for local residents.

“Not every resident in Townsville has a bitumen road to their house and I have a number of dirt roads in my area,” he said.

“One priority road that will be treated is Laudham Rd and the residents are delighted about this as this road gets used more and more frequently.

“The council has been cutting costs across the organisation to deliver more front line services for community ben- efit, and this funding boost is proof that the changes … are doing just that.”

Laudham Rd resident Debra Gibson has lived at Pinnacles since 2001 and said the funding would change the lives of local residents.

“There’s a lot of traffic on this road,” she said. “The biggest problem we have is the amount of traffic coming down like hoons and people teaching their kids to drive.”

Ms Gibson said many residents have had to replace car windscreens broken by flying rocks.

“Mine is done at the moment,” she said. “This will change our lives. “This is the first council that has taken attention to this area. There have been heaps of close calls.

“We’ve had to pull people out of the drain because they come hooning down during the rain and slide off.

“You’re biting your tongue every time you drive out here.”