Safer stadium travel granted

THE Palaszczuk Government has approved up to $ 1.1 million in grant funding for the Townsville City Council to develop plans for better transport safety around the North Queensland Stadium project.

The funding is part of the Maturing the Infrastructure Pipeline Program.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said Townsville City, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire, Hinchinbrook Shire and Burdekin Shire councils had gained funding under the program.

Townsville MP Scott Stewart said Townsville City Council would receive funding for the detailed design of additional pedestrian pathways, pedestrian bridges and additional road networks around the stadium precinct.

Mr Stewart said the Palm Island council had been allocated $ 88,000 to develop an infrastructure strategy.

Mr Dick said the MIPP was supporting 22 local governments under the first round.

“The first round is sup- porting a diverse range of project planning, from a strategic assessment of the Flinders Shire Council’s tourism proposal for Porcupine Gorge National Park to investigating the best options to deliver economic benefit to the communities within the Central Highlands Regional Council area through revitalising the Emerald Saleyards,” he said.

In other projects, Hinchinbrook Shire Council is developing detailed designs for the Palm Creek bridge and Burdekin Shire Council is developing designs for a macroalgal bioremediation facility.

Mr Dick said the program complemented existing grant programs and would assist councils in determining their infrastructure priorities.

“This will better inform council submissions under the Building our Regions program, the Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program and other project delivery programs, and provide opportunities for local governments to also seek partnerships with the private sector to deliver regional projects,” he said.