Engineering services

Council’s 2010/11 Budget allocates $34.9 million for new engineering works across the region.

Engineering services portfolio leader Cr Carol Taylor said the capital funding figure was planned for new projects and was in addition to around $20 million in carry-over works currently being performed.

“Council is providing appropriate funding to maintain and improve infrastructure which residents use and rely on every day,” Cr Taylor said.

“One of the biggest jobs is the joint project between council and the State Government to upgrade Toowoomba Aerodrome to cater for more regular RPT services.

“This work involves extending the runway, apron and taxiways, an asphalt overlay of the existing runway and associated aerodrome electrical upgrades.

“Extensive stormwater drainage work, road construction and maintenance, design and planning work as well as projects to build footpaths and cycleways will be delivered across the region.

“Council has assessed the top priority projects for the coming year and maintains a forward planning schedule covering the next 10 years. This work requires specialised skills across council’s workforce and ensures the most efficient use of council resources and labour.”

Cr Taylor said stormwater drainage projects were planned to safeguard against flooding and reduce the likelihood of flood damage in the event of heavy rain.

Significant stormwater projects include:

• $630,000 at Beer Court, Toowoomba
• $800,000 on outlet works for a detention facility at the Tor, Hogg sts intersection, Toowoomba
• $500,000 on a new drainage system for the Kearney St stormwater retention basin
• $50,000 for drainage improvements at Wyreema and $100,000 for drainage works at Dr Neville Rd, Clifton
• Works are planned on an annual replacement program to stormwater pits in Crows Nest and Highfields with new road drainage work also planned for Millmerran and Pittsworth.

Pedestrians and cyclists will enjoy better recreation facilities with $1.517 million to be spent on footpaths and cycleways across the region.

Cr Taylor said funds would be spent under the Cycle and Pedestrian Strategy to encourage more people to consider riding a bike to work or for more active leisure pursuits. Among the more notable projects are:

• $180,000 to complete missing links in the Spring to Nelson sts cycleway in Toowoomba (among 16 footpath and cycleway projects across Toowoomba)
• Footpath extensions in Alfred and William sts, Cambooya
• $80,000 to build a footpath from the New England Highway to Crows Nest State School in James St
• $100,000 for new work to complete footpaths in Ferguson Rd, Westbrook
• $100,000 for new footpaths to extend the Hodgson Vale pathway network

Cr Taylor said council was responsible for maintaining the vast regional road network of 9900km, which includes 3530km of sealed roads and 3022km of gravel roads. (excluding private roads and Main Roads)

“Road construction works for resheeting, resealing and asphalt works has increased to $9.399 million compared with $8.5 million set aside last year,” she said.

“Council is re-affirming its commitment to continue road maintenance with $3.869 million allocated for bitumen reseals, $1.349 million to be spent on asphalt overlays and $4.180 million to re-gravel parts of the unsealed road network.”

“In total, additional road construction works valued at $23.7 million are planned.”

Major road repair and construction projects for the coming financial year include:

• $352,057 to upgrade the Hogg, Tor sts intersection, Toowoomba
• 891,000 to upgrade the West, Stenner sts intersection, Toowoomba
• $150,000 to start planning for the outer circulating road linking Russell Street and Chalk Drive.
• Rehabilitation work at Hodgson Vale Road ($220,000) and Preston Road - $210,000
• $95,000 for drainage works in Nobby and $200,000 to extend bitumen in Mowen, Hinz sts, Clifton
• $230,000 for Kuhn Rd bridge works and upgrades
• $534,000 for shoulder widening, upgrade work on Passmore Rd, near Clifton
• $250,000 re-alignment work (Lipp-Mabel Rds) Allen Road, East Greenmount
• $1.180 million for road upgrades and widening on Highfields Rd from Kratzke Rd to Rogers Dr
• $100,000 for major planning work to upgrade the Highfields, Kratzke roads intersection
• $80,000 to improve a school bus set down area at Railway Terrace, Crows Nest
• $500,000 for construction of road approaches to the new bridge on the Jondaryan-Evanslea Rd (near Jondaryan Woolshed)
• $883,000 for Drayton-Wellcamp Rd improvements
• $450,000 to widen a section of Jondaryan-Mt Tyson Rd
• In Millmerran, $150,000 for kerb and channel reconstruction Florence St, and $320,000 for sealing on Tummaville Rd
• $210,000 for drainage improvements and widening in Aster, Denning and Whittle sts, Pittsworth
• $150,000 to build a carpark near the Pittsworth Town Hall
• $277,000 for joint road works on Golf Course-Clifton Rd, Pittsworth
• $177,000 for continuing works on Kingsthorpe-Haden Rd
• $330,000 for widening and upgrades on Jondaryan-Nungil Rd, $250,000 for upgrades on Wonga Plains South Rd and $261,000 for upgrading Meringandan-Shirley Rd

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.