More works added to QLD's $400m Ipswich Motorway Upgrade Stage 1

More works have been added to the Ipswich Motorway Upgrade in Queensland that will further improve safety and reduce congestion on the highway. Stage 1 - from Rocklea to Darra - will now be including an extension to Boundary Road, which adds new service road connections on the Oxley Creek floodplains.

According to Federal Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities Paul Fletcher, the extension to the project will link the new southern service road the Boundary and Blunder Roads intersection at Oxley.

“The inclusion of the Boundary Road connection will deliver even more benefits to the 85,000 motorists who use the Ipswich Motorway daily by providing a critical link to improve safety and local connectivity.

“This is a positive addition to the project and a win for the heavy freight industry, local businesses and commuters. Construction has also started on four of the seven new bridges, leaving the project well on track,” Mr Fletcher said.

In addition to the project extension, Stage 1 of the Ipswich Motorway Upgrade will include:

• Upgrading the motorway from four to six lanes
• Higher bridges over Oxley Creek, together with 7 new bridges
• New southern service road connection from Rocklea industrial precinct to the Oxley commercial and retail areas
• New northern service road connection over the Oxley Creek floodplain
• New traffic signals at the Suscatand Street intersection

Detailed design as of February 2018 (source: Department of Transport and Main Roads)

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that the addition of new service roads to the project is a “win for the local community”.

“Adding new service roads means there is an alternative for motorists and truckies other than using the motorway for that section. And that means less congestion,” the  Premier said.

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the additional works on the upgrade project will help improve safety as well as reduce congestion on the motorway by means of redirecting local traffic to local roads.

“This will further enhance connectivity on the upgraded local service road network by providing a critical transport link across the Oxley Creek floodplain, reducing the time it takes to respond to major traffic incidents by creating an alternative route for emergency services and traffic,” Mr Bailey said.

This $400 million project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments on a 50:50 basis, and its development is expected to support up to 470 direct jobs.

The Ipswich Motorway Upgrade Stage 1 - Rocklea to Darra is due to be completed by 2020, weather permitting.

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Source: Queensland Government (1, 2); Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities