Funding flows for Queensland road safety projects

Queenslanders are set to benefit from over $500 million in road safety treatments across urban, regional and remote roads, footpaths and cycleways.

Under the Road Safety Program, the Australian Government has committed $255.7 million, with Queensland Government providing joint funding of $255.7 million, sourced through the Camera Detected Offence Program, bringing the total investment to $511.5 million.

This funding will deliver 71 projects for safety upgrades on Queensland’s state-controlled roads to address identified road safety issues that contribute to vehicle crashes.

Of this $511.5 million, $434.2 million has been earmarked for projects in regional and rural Queensland, demonstrating both governments’ focus on supporting our regional communities.

Proposed safety projects include intersection upgrades, lane widening projects, line markings, rest area upgrades, heavy vehicle interception sites and safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists.

This funding will see the fast roll-out of lifesaving road safety treatments on Queensland roads, including:

22 projects delivering targeted cycling and pedestrian improvements
15 projects upgrading intersections
16 projects delivering widening including installing wide centre line treatment (WCLT) and barriers
Four projects improving road conditions including realigning, sealing unsealed roads and improving signage and visibility
Four projects delivering and/or improving rest areas/stopping bays
Three projects installing line marking including WCLT and audio tactile line marking (ATLM)
One project installing and upgrading barriers
One project installing overtaking lanes

In addition, other state-wide mass action projects have been approved to improve rest areas, install line markings, Township Entry Treatments, and provide heavy vehicle interception sites.

Projects include:

Kennedy Highway intersection upgrades – Ravenshoe (Far North Queensland) Cairns to Mareeba – upgrading intersections to address blind spots.
Steve Irwin Way – Beerwah (Southeast Queensland) – increasing safety and visibility for all road users.
Gatton Helidon Road – Gatton (Southeast Queensland) – safety treatments on high-speed sections.
Capricorn Highway – Duaringa – Emerald (Central Queensland) – road safety improvements including WCLT and ATLM.

The funding provided by the Australian and Queensland governments will deliver new road safety upgrades and jobs across Queensland. Indigenous and local governments will be engaged to ensure that cultural heritage, knowledge and community expectations are considered, ensuring community support as well as expediting delivery timeframes.

The works are required to be completed by 30 June 2025, improving road safety and supporting an average of 700 jobs in Queensland over the life of the program.

Further information on the Australian Government’s Road Safety Program is available here.

Quotes attributable to Federal Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Senator the Hon Anthony Chisholm:

“2023 was one of the deadliest years on Australia’s roads with 1,266 lives lost. The Road Safety Program is part of our ongoing commitment to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads by working with state partners, like the Queensland Government, to ensure this devastating death toll is reduced.

“This joint Australian and Queensland government funding will also support the fast roll out of lifesaving road safety treatments on rural and regional roads across Queensland, and to provide greater protection for vulnerable road users like cyclists and pedestrians in the state’s urban areas.”

“The Albanese Government is committed to delivering the infrastructure that Queensland needs to protect lives and improve travel times. Once completed, these road upgrades will provide locals and visitors with safer roads to travel on.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, the Hon Bart Mellish MP:

“This joint funding announcement will see another 71 projects delivered across Queensland, supporting an average of 700 jobs and safer roads for families, businesses and industry. These works will improve safety and stimulate the economy all around Queensland.

“The Queensland Government is committed to road safety as demonstrated by the $255.77 million investment funded by the Camera Detected Offence Program. The Australian Government is matching this investment, with both State and Federal contributions totalling more than half a billion dollars in funding for Queensland roads.

“This joint commitment is for all Queenslanders, state-wide, as reflected by $511.5million in projects delivering safety upgrades all across Queensland. These works are all about maintaining the safety of motorists on the state’s road network. As an added bonus, these projects are providing jobs for workers at a time when jobs and jobs security are more important than ever.

“Making our roads safer is a critical component of our work to reduce road trauma and move towards achieving the targets outlined in the National Road Safety Strategy of reducing fatalities by 50 percent and serious injuries by 30 percent by 2031 on our roads.

“Tragically, 277 lives were lost on Queensland roads last year, the third highest total in 10 years. The Queensland government is committed to bringing down the number of lives lost of our roads.

“We want to see zero deaths on our roads. The projects being delivered will see intersections with crash history made safer, roads widened and more gravel roads sealed. These types of projects play an important part in supporting our industries right across Queensland, in particular those industries that rely on our regional roads to transport goods and give new opportunities for businesses, creating more jobs across the state.”