MORNING peak hour travel times along Green Camp Road will be halved after a $27.8 million upgrade to the road and nearby junctions is finished by mid-next year, according to Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk.
Cr Quirk made the announcement at a sod-turning ceremony on Tuesday at the Wakerley construction site, which was attended by Bowman MP Andrew Laming, Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher, Bonner MP Ross Vasta and Brisbane City Cr Amanda Cooper.
Cr Quirk said 30,000 vehicles travelled on Green Camp Road every day, with the project helping commuters to avoid future delays of up to 30 minutes, which were tipped by 2031 if nothing was done.
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Green Camp Road will be raised by about 60 centimetres and widened to at least four lanes between Rickett and Manly roads, but extensive upgrades are also planned for nearby intersections at both Rickett and Tilley roads.
Construction company Georgiou Group, responsible for the multi-million dollar project, has been tasked with widening Rickertt Road to four lanes on its approach to Green Camp Road.
The T-intersection upgrade will also include one left turning lane and two right turning lanes for traffic entering Green Camp Road, which is anticipated will allow quicker runs to the city for Redlands commuters.
Rickett Road was listed by the RACQ as one of Queensland’s top five worst roads two years ago because of its narrow single carriageway design and congestion at the Green Camp Road intersection.
Bowman MP Andrew Laming said every dollar spent on the project saved about $8 on social and economic impacts caused by congestion problems.
“A third of Redlands residents use Rickertt Road at least once a week and the stop-start delays and bottlenecks are not just a massive frustration, they’re a handbrake on our local economy,” he said.
“When the traffic flows, job opportunities multiply and productivity rises. When families spend less time stuck in traffic, they get more time together.”
Mr Laming said the federal government was pitching in $10 million for the project to improve urban traffic flow.
He said the federal government originally planned to contribute less but the amount was raised to help cover costs for flood-proofing Green Camp Road.
“I fought hard for this upgrade and it’s incredibly satisfying when you know it’s going to make a real difference in Redlanders’ lives,” he said.
Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said the works would help future-proof the corridor.
“The Turnbull government is committed to investing in vital infrastructure that tackles congestion – whether it’s a parent getting the kids to school on time or a tradie able to get to four jobs in a day instead of three.”
