Giru residents impacted as road to highway closes for months
A ROAD providing Giru residents with access to the Bruce Highway will be closed next week for five months.
The Bruce Highway intersection with Shirbourne Rd will be temporarily closed to all travel to and from Giru, as works on the Haughton River Floodplain Upgrade continue.
Transport and Main Roads North Queensland regional director Sanjay Ram said the closure would allow for installation of culverts and upgrades.
“The intersection, and about 200m of Shirbourne Rd towards Giru, will be closed to all traffic from Monday, March 8 (weather permitting), until early August,” Mr Ram said.
“As the Bruce Highway will pass over Shirbourne Rd and the nearby cane tram line in future, there is a substantial amount of work required to connect existing infrastructure.
“During the intersection closure, crews will install culverts and finalise the new Bruce Highway on/off-ramp connections with Shirbourne Rd as well as rebuild the local road under the overpass.”
Mr Ram said he understood the impact on the Giru community, but it was critical the intersection be closed to get the work done safely and efficiently.
He said a detour would be in place via Woodstock Giru
Rd, allowing Giru traffic continued access to the highway.
Mr Ram said the closure had been programmed to minimise impacts on the local community.
“There’s a great deal of work to be done at the intersection, which will require temporary removal of a section of the cane rail line,” he said.
“We know Wilmar will need to start track maintenance and other works in June, ahead of the cane season, so we have done our best to balance the ongoing wet weather against the need to ensure the rail line is fully functional before then.
“While the intersection will be closed to traffic between March and August (weather permitting), our program of works allows the rail line to be reopened in June and for works to occur on the road away from the rail line between June and August.”
Mr Ram said works were nearing completion on the $514.3 million Haughton River Floodplain Upgrade.
The Haughton River Floodplain Upgrade project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments.
Five bridges are being built as part of the project, along with two overpasses, several intersection upgrades and more than 13km of Bruce Highway surface upgrades.
Visit www.qldtraffic.qld.gov .au for more information.
THREE people charged with unlicensed driving and two with drug driving will attend court this month after they were stopped by police doing patrols across the Burdekin last fortnight.
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A 29-year-old Burdekin man was stopped by police at 3.50pm on Friday, February 26.
Police from the Ayr Road Policing Unit intercepted the man allegedly driving on Soper St, Ayr.
He was issued with a notice to appear in the Ayr Magistrates Court on March 22.
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On Wednesday, February 24, at 3.40pm, Ayr Police intercepted a vehicle on the Bruce Highway, Brandon.
It is alleged the driver, a 44year-old Cairns man, was unlicensed at the time.
He was issued with a notice to appear in Ayr Magistrates Court on March 8.
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The Ayr Road Policing Unit intercepted a vehicle on the Sexton Highway, Brandon, at 4.40pm on Tuesday, February 23.
Police issued the driver, a 47-year-old Burdekin man, with a notice to appear for driving with a relevant drug in his salvia. He will face Ayr Magistrates Court on April 19. ***
A 30-year-old Burdekin woman will appear in the Ayr Magistrates Court on April 19 for alleged drug driving.
Police from the Ayr Road Policing Unit intercepted the driver at 9.55pm on Monday, February 22, on Chippendale St, Ayr.
It is alleged the woman had a relevant drug in her saliva at the time.
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On Wednesday, February 17, at 3pm, Ayr Police intercepted a vehicle on the Bruce Highway at Brandon.
As a result of the intercept, the 29-year-old Burdekin female driver was issued with a notice to appear in the Ayr Magistrates Court for unlicensed driving on March 22. ***
Ayr
Police located a 26year-old Burdekin man in Bourke St, Ayr, on Valentine’s Day.
As a result of investigations, police issued the man with a notice to appear in court for wilful damage and public nuisance.
Police will allege the incidents leading to the man’s arrest occurred in Queen St on January 23.
He is to front Ayr Magistrates Court on March 8.