After a long wait, Centenary Highway could soon see some improvements as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced that the government will spend $65 million for its upgrade.
The upgrade will involve the upgrade of the Sumners Road Interchange, which is used by 35,000 vehicles every day.
“This intersection has been a headache for commuters for a long time – now my government is committed to fixing it,” said the Premier.
“This upgrade, which will also create 50 jobs, will reduce congestion on the daily commute, and cut travel times for 5,500 heavy trucks that use this interchange daily, improving freight connections and supporting local businesses.”
The project involves adding two signalised intersections in place of the current roundabouts. A new two-lane eastbound bridge will also be constructed as part of the upgrade.
The plan will also see additional bike lanes, shared paths and crossings to provide active transport options to daily commuters.
Development is expected to start within 12 months, after completion of the design and the bidding process. The project should be done after two years.
Preliminary plan for the Sumners Road Interchange
Easing Traffic
The announcement is a welcome development for commuters, considering the importance of the highway to residents driving to the CBD from Brisbane’s western suburbs.
In a recent RACQ study, Centenary Motorway ranked number one on slowest traffic in the city.
Read: Centenary Motorway Registers Slowest Traffic in the City
Read: Left Out of State Budget, Centenary Motorway Will Continue Peak-Hour Crawl – RACQ
Read: Riverhills Still Wants a Bridge to Bellbowrie According to Recent RACQ Survey Results
Steven Miles, who is the Acting Minister for Main Roads and Road Safety, stressed that the project will have a positive impact on traffic flow in other parts of the city’s transport network.
“This is the closest city-bound interchange to the Ipswich-Centenary Motorway intersection, so easing congestion at Sumners road has far-reaching consequences,” said Mr Miles.
“It also improves connectivity to Darra train station through reduced bus travel times. That benefits passengers travelling towards Ipswich, Springfield or Brisbane.”
