Smithfield bypass tots up to $120m

A PROPOSAL for a $120 million bypass for the Smithfield roundabout is expected to be under consideration for funding in the next State Budget.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has yet to finalise a nine-month long study into the Captain Cook Highway traffic bottleneck with the study’s cost blowing out by almost $500,000 to $2.186 million.

The Smithfield roundabout has long been a headache for motorists with growth on the Northern Beaches resulting in delays on the highway of up to 45 minutes during peak times.

The proposed bypass would likely travel through mostly cane farming property in an almost straight line between the McGregor Rd and Yorkeys Knob roundabouts. It could save as much as 20 minutes on a trip between Palm Cove and the city.

The planning study, announced by Barron River MP Craig Crawford in March, has yet to be completed, said a department spokeswoman.

“Construction of a proposed solution is estimated to cost about $120 million and will be considered against competing priorities across the state,” she said.

“The business case is expected to be finalised in the first half of next year.”

Mr Crawford said he hoped to enter discussions with the Treasurer, Premier and Deputy Premier about funding the project in time for the next budget cycle.

“My aim is to have something ready for next year that we can basically takes us right up to the budget cycle that gets us right up to the point where all we need is large funding to build it,” he said.

“We’re still getting our ducks in a line at the moment, but it’s looking pretty good.”

Division 9 Councillor Brett Olds said the project was more important to improving traffic flow on the northern beaches than the $34.2 million Bill Fulton bridge duplication at Redlynch.

“The congestion is ridiculous out there,” he said.

“You’ve just got one big bottleneck with the Kennedy Highway and people coming down from Kuranda and Mareeba going to work.

“And then only 300m away is the Western Arterial Road, coming around and all those schools down there.

“(With the bypass), everyone from Clifton Beach to Smithfield will be able to bypass all that bulls...t and go straight to Cairns.

“That’ll be a better project than the Bill Fulton Bridge, and alleviate more stress.”