MORE than half of Redland City Council's projected record capital spend for 2020-21 will go towards transport and traffic solutions, with a dozen big-ticket projects and programs alone costing more than $30 million.
The capital outlay also has a strong focus on active transport options, with more than $5.8 million directed at footpaths and cycleways alone to make it easier for our community to leave the car at home and get on their bikes or head out for walks.
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Mayor Karen Williams said council would continue to work with the state and federal governments to bring forward further funding for a multi-million-dollar catalogue of other shovel-ready road and transport infrastructure projects.
"The $80 million in budgeted capital expenditure is expected to hit a record more than $90 million once carry-over funds and anticipated state and federal assistance is factored in," Cr Williams said.
She said more than $9 million would be injected into the city's Road Renewal Program, with $1.8 million going to Regional Road Alliance Program projects and another $1.7 million to the Roads to Recovery Program.
"Another $1.5 million will go towards our bus shelter and seat renewal program and $525,000 for the Cleveland Rail bus station. We want to encourage more residents to use public transport than just have machines laying bitumen," she said.
Island communities would benefit from the start of a $28.6 million two-year project to upgrade the jetties, gangways and pontoons at Russell, Macleay, Lamb and Karragarra islands, with $3.5 million for the Russell island project.
"At Weinam Creek, the gateway to the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, we have dedicated $3.4 million for the carpark development, and we have committed another $1.5 million to the sealing of island roads.
"All this is not only vital to our island residents but also to the development of a sustainable tourism industry to support local jobs creation," she said.
Cr Williams said Redlands Coast's great attraction, its waterways and foreshores, came with a substantial cost.
"With more than 335km of coastline, our operating maintenance costs for marine infrastructure, including boat ramps and jetties, foreshore work and canals will total $8.5 million over and above the $10.2 million earmarked for capital works this financial year," she said.
Cr Williams said council was also seeking vital infrastructure commitments from the state government under its Works for Queensland program and the federal government under its Local Road and Community Infrastructure Program and Financial Assistance Grants to add impetus to its infrastructure investment.
"We already have 64 projects worth almost $83 million that are shovel-ready and which, if funded, will support jobs growth and deliver improvements for our community," Cr Williams said.
"These include community disaster resilience and infrastructure improvements worth $10.4 million for North Stradbroke Island and $8.6 million for the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, communities which have been particularly hard hit.
"It also includes millions of dollars' worth of upgrades to the Redlands Coast transport network, including 6.2km of footpaths, 26km of resurfacing mainland roads and 3.7km of green seal for the Southern Moreton Bay Islands in the next financial year alone to help residents and visitors move around the city faster and safer."
