INTERSECTION OVERPASS
Upgrade due end 1998

WORK on an overpass for the hazardous Palmwoods-Kiel Mountain crossroads with the Nambour Connection Road is scheduled to start in six months, for expected completion at the end of 1998.

Main Roads Department District Director Gary Fisher and Transport Planning Manager Rod Matthews told the last Maroochy Shire Council Engineering Services Committee meeting that it would be at least 18 months before the intersection was completed.

They had attended as the result of an urgent request from Cr Geoff Littler for updated information on the status of the overpass proposal.

Cr Littler said he was concerned by the lack of openness of the consultative process now being carried out by the Main Roads Department in conjunction with Maunsells and also by the disturbing rumours stemming from this process, such as:

• It will be 18 months before construction commences
• The majority of commercial land on the western side of the Nambour Connection Road is to be resumed affecting the employment of 20 to 25 people.
• Access to the Nambour Connection Road by commercial businesses including the motel on the eastern side of the road is to be denied and that access would be by Acorn Lane.
• At council’s request and on completion of the overpass, the speed limit is to be increased from 80kph to 100 kph causing speculation about the Woombye entrance to the Nambour Connection Road.
• That the Rust PPK recommendations made after a thorough investigation and consultation with the residents of Woombye have apparently been rejected.

The Main Roads representatives said they had been disappointed with the timing to date and that they had been expecting to hear from the consultants a lot sooner.

"They have not performed as expected but we now expect a draft report by the end of May or a few weeks later and a planning report by the end of June," Mr Fisher said. "The consultants will then go back to the community and talk to landholders. It is hard to estimate when work will start - it may be six months and construction will take about 12 months."

Once the overpass is completed, the 100kmh zone on the four-lane Nambour Connection Road would be extended to the Woombye Motel.

In response to concerns that the Woombye, Diddilibah Road and McKenzie Road intersections would still be dangerous, the MRD spokesmen said traffic lights were not an option.

"They are not considered safe because of the high speed environment," Mr Fisher said.

While the overpass will definitely go ahead as the most appropriate way to deal with the intersection, various options on how it will be constructed and graded are yet to be finalised.

Mr Matthews said Maunsells had been reviewing the Palmwoods Kiel Mountain intersection in terms of topography and access on to the highway.

A number of options were being considered and discussions were continuing with affected landholders.

"We are looking at grade separation (an overpass) and will now go back and see how that fits with all of the landholders," he said. "We have already agreed to acquire the two properties at the top of Kiel Mountain as a hardship resumption."

Properties will be affected as far north as the Woombye Motel and south to Kerlin Lane to allow for the road to climb to the height of the cutting.

"We hope Maunsells will be back to landowners by the end of June, advising them of the recommendations which will be made to the department and will then decide which option to go with," Mr Matthews said.

"It will be at least six months before we start on site but the budget has been approved and the job will take about 12 months. We are confident that it will all be finished before the end of 1998."