Fears as highway overpass denied

RESIDENT and business calls for an overpass to be built on the Bruce Highway at Black River have been overruled by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

This is despite support for an overpass by Paul Jacob, Labor’s candidate for Hinchinbrook, the electorate in which a $100m highway upgrade is planned.

The design of the Townsville Northern Access Intersections Upgrade was released on October 9, raising hundreds of complaints from residents, businesses, Black River Pony Club and candidates in the state election.

Two U-turn facilities on a 100km/h section of the highway either side of the Black River Road intersection have caused the most angst.

The pony club, residents and businesses say it will make one of the state’s worst black spots even more dangerous, and have called for an overpass or traffic lights to be installed.

A DTMR spokesman said in a statement an overpass and traffic signals had been considered during planning. “An overpass is typically used at a location where there is a high volume of traffic,’’ he said.

“The treatment at the Black River Road intersection is appropriate to safely manage the traffic volumes and type of vehicles, including B-doubles and defence vehicles.’’

The spokesman said traffic signals would directly impact on efficiency without providing significant safety benefits.

“Installing traffic signals could lead to more risk-taking behaviours by drivers and the potential for high-speed rearend crashes,’’ he said.

“The U-turn will safely cater for all approved-use vehicles on this section of the Bruce Highway, including Bdoubles and cars towing horse floats and caravans.”

Mr Jacob said he supported calls for an overpass.

“I want to see an overpass. I’m going to be pushing for an overpass if I get elected,” he said.

The candidate said the Uturn facilities would create a hazard when trucks from the Black River quarry needed to turn left, cross two lanes of a 100km/h section of highway, before taking the U-turn to head south.

“I know it would be expensive with an overpass but I think, with the plan, it always should have been incorporated,” Mr Jacob said.

The DTMR spokesman said the department was in the final stages of completing the detailed design, and the construction tender would be released next month. It was unclear whether this meant the tender would be released before or after a new government was installed. Convention suggests caretaker governments should avoid entering major contracts or undertakings during the caretaker period.