Widening plans for Flinders Highway
DRIVERS will soon benefit from a $9.7m project to widen parts of the Flinders Highway between Townsville and Charters Towers.
Federal Road Safety and Freight Transport Assistant Minister Scott Buchholz said the Roads of Strategic Importance early works program was critical to the safety upgrades, which include the installation of wide centre line treatments on the Flinders Highway.
“These works will extend from about Mingela Rd through to the Kookaburra Creek, with about 1.5km of road to be widened,” Mr Buchholz said.
“Works will also include replacing two det e r i o r a t e d major culverts under the Flinders Highway.”
State Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the works would allow for a one-metre separation between traffic lanes.
“This is especially important on the Flinders Highway, where we have a lot of trucks travelling to and from regional businesses at speeds of up to 110 kilometres per hour,” he said.
Federal Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said more than $250m had been allocated to the corridor between Townsville and Tennant Creek.
State Mundingburra MP Les Walker said further works were planned with overtaking lanes to be installed between Townsville and Mingella next year.
“Further west, construction is under way to seal the Cloncurry-darjarra road and widen priority sections,” Mr Walker said.
Northern Australia Special Envoy Senator Susan Mcdonald said the federal government had delivered $7.76m towards the Flinders Highway project.