TRC commits a record $68 million for infrastructure projects

Toowoomba Regional Council's 2011/12 Budget allocates a record $68 million to upgrade and repair infrastructure across all parts of the region.

Infrastructure Services portfolio leader Cr Carol Taylor said new works valued at $49 million were planned for the coming year as well as carry-over works totalling $19.5 million.

This compares with a total $55 million Budget from the previous year.

Cr Taylor said many of the carry-over projects had been delayed as a result of widespread flooding across most parts of the council area in late December 2010 and January this year.

"Council's new works program included an $18.7 million submission through the federal government's Natural Disaster Recovery and Relief Arrangements (NDRRA) for flood relief funding," Cr Taylor said.

"Council last week received state government approval for $18.5 million worth of flood repairs, including $2.67 million to reconstruct the Jellicoe Street bridge in Toowoomba."

Cr Taylor said a second NDRRA submission for flood recovery projects valued at more than $80 million would be lodged in coming weeks.

"Responding to the flood emergency work meant council resources were diverted from our regular works programs by necessity," Cr Taylor said."This has not affected our ability or our commitment to maintain our regular budget program of maintenance and renewal work across the region.

"Council is acutely aware of the importance of maintaining and upgrading vital infrastructure such as roads and bridges and a range of other programs to improve community facilities."

Cr Taylor said council was on target to deliver its road budget with $4 million allocated for gravel resheeting, $3.5 million for bitumen reseals and $1.2 million for asphalt overlays around the region.

A further $8.4 million will be spent on rural and urban road projects with $5.8 million for additional road upgrades and improvements.

Cr Taylor said the Toowoomba region had one of the most extensive road networks in Queensland. She said council was responsible for maintaining a 9900km network, which includes 3530km of sealed roads and 3022km of gravel roads. (excluding private roads and Main Roads)

In other projects, Cr Taylor said planning and construction work was continuing on council's 25-year detention basin program covering the Gowrie Creek catchment.

She said more than $2.3 million had been allocated for flood mitigation works in Toowoomba.

"Detention basin work also will be done along East Creek in Ballin Drive and in Garnett Lehmann Park off Aberdeen Street in east Toowoomba.  Work will start to construct stage two of the Clewley Park detention basin project in Pechey Street, Toowoomba," she said.

 "Planning also has started on strategic flood mitigation work.  Construction work is about to start on a new drainage system along West Creek in Kearney Street, Toowoomba."

Cr Taylor said the 2011/12 Budget set aside funds for every area across the region with additional projects covering stormwater drainage work, road construction and maintenance, design and planning work and projects to deliver footpaths, cycleways and a school set-down area at Crows Nest.

Cr Taylor said the budget listed a couple of hundred projects which were designed to enhance public safety and ensure access was improved on infrastructure which residents used daily.

"This includes more than $900,000 for footpath repairs or new works around the region," Cr Taylor said.

"Among scores of road projects, council is contributing $450,000 this financial year to the Department of Transport and Main Roads' $11 million upgrade over two years of Warrego Highway intersections at Geddes, Hume and Neil streets and the Tor-Bridge street intersection in Toowoomba.

"About $3.2 million will be spent this year on design and some construction with the remainder of construction occurring in the following financial year.

"Two million dollars out of a total project cost of $4 million has been set aside to progress work on Toowoomba's outer circulating road in Clifford Street from Margaret to Russell streets. This stage involves finalising design work and acquisitions and relocating services ahead of the road construction.

"Additionally, Millmerran and Pittsworth aerodrome runways also will be resealed at a cost of $100,000 and $85,000 respectively."

Cr Taylor said council was proud to continue programs to attract and advance young engineers' careers by funding scholarships for first and third year USQ students.

Significant projects include:

Environmental management:

• $25,000 to build detention basins along East Creek at Ballin Drive and another $25,000 for similar work in Garnett Lehman Park near Aberdeen Street, Toowoomba.
• $364,000 for a new drainage system in Kearney Street
• $220,000 for upgrade work at Hogg and Tor streets intersection
• $32,000 for stage 2 works at Clewley Park detention basins

 New projects: 

• $677,000 for land acquisition for the Westbrook wetlands project
• $204,000 for culvert work in Ramsay Street, Oakey
• $110,000 for drainage improvements in Pittsworth (Hamilton St from Hume to Yandilla streets)
• $500,000 for stormwater works in Clewley Park, Toowoomba
• $310,000 for drainage work in Herries Street, Toowoomba (Mackenzie to Curzon streets)

 Roads to Recovery:  

• $449,000 to widen Jondaryan-Mt Tyson Road and an additional $450,000 to widen an additional 1km section of the road near Oakey Creek

 Traffic management:   

• $430,000 including a $215,000 subsidy to upgrade the Ramsay/Nelson streets intersection (completes a missing link in the South East cycling corridor)

 Roads Alliance:   

• $380,000 to reconstruct and widen Hodgson Vale Rd (including a $150,000 subsidy)
• $184,000 to improve the Logan Road intersection (including a $92,000 subsidy) and an additional $350,000 for widening and reseal work on Logan Road (with a $175,000 subsidy)
• $560,000 to upgrade and seal Crows Nest-Blackbutt Rd and Pierce's Creek Road
• $348,000 to complete the missing link in Boundary Street south
• $350,000 to upgrade St Helen's Rd (with a $107,000 subsidy)
• $199,000 to upgrade Meringandan-Shirley Road
• $176,000 to improve Kingsthorpe-Haden Road
• $304,000 to widen Jondaryan-Nungil Road
• $290,000 to upgrade Yalangur-Lilyvale Road (with a $145,000 subsidy)
• $200,000 to widen Haden-Maclagan Road (with a $100,000 subsidy)
• $717,000 to progress the upgrade of Meringandan-Goombungee Road near Meringandan State School
• $365,000 to build a roundabout at the Nelson-Kearney streets intersection

 Newly funded projects:   

• $69,000 for set down areas at Crows Nest State School
• $244,000 for design and resumption work Old Goombungee Road and Boundary Road
• $872,000 to upgrade Drayton-Wellcamp Road
• $600,000 to seal Cecil Plains-Moonie Road
• $228,000 to seal Wonga Plains South Road
• $447,000 to upgrade Stenner-West streets intersection
• $263,000 to upgrade Curzon-Herries streets intersection

 Bridge work:   

• $235,000 to design and build a bridge at Kuhn Road
• $162,000 for Trapp Road bridge
• $40,000 Dan Christianson bridge repairs
• $86,000 for Manor Street bridge replacement (2 stage project)
• $192,000 to fix Bridge Street bridge at Gowrie Creek

 CBD Revitalisation:   

• $134,000 for two Pittsworth projects
• $2 million for Toowoomba outer circulating road project 

 Active transport

 Footpath maintenance:   

• $49,000 for James Street works from Ruthven to Prescott streets
• $17,000 to repair footpath in Hume Street from Bridge to North streets:

 New footpath projects: Total: $880,000 which includes: 

• $100,000 to extend Hodgson Vale paths
• $68,000 for paths on both sides McDonald Street, Oakey
• $100,000 in Ferguson Road, Westbrook
• $75,000 for Millmerran town walkway project

 Bikeways:

• Completion of the criterium track at Toowoomba Showgrounds
• $250,000, including a $125,000 subsidy, for design and construction of bike lanes from the CBD to Toowoomba Showgrounds to link with the criterium track