Palmwoods
District News

September
1998

Page 1

CHEAPER AND QUICKER OPTION?
Push for lights at intersection

A DEPUTATION is to meet with Transport and Main Roads Minister Steve Bredhauer during the Country Cabinet meeting in Nambour next week, in an effort to resolve Nambour Connection Road problems between the Keil Mountain crossroads and Blackall Range Road.

Member for Nicklin Peter Wellington said that while he was not confident that the current Keil Mountain overpass plans could be changed, he was also not convinced that the work would provide an overall solution.

The $5-$8 million overpass is due for completion by the end of next year.

"There are a lot of problems on this road and spending so much on resolving one will not help other problem areas such as the Blackall Street intersection at Woombye, Didillibah Road, Cobbs Road, and Blackall Range Road," he said.

"With the limited road funds available, we must spend the money wisely to make all the intersections safe."

His support has been welcomed by the Palmwoods Progress Association which has actively campaigned for traffic lights at the intersection for the past four years.

A deputation from the Palmwoods Progress Association will meet with Mr Wellington and Mr Brehauer to re-consider options for the intersection without causing further delays to construction.

"The overpass plans presented to the public meeting at the Palmwoods Hall last month were far from impressive and do not appear to be the best possible solution for this intersection," PPA vice-president Jim Cushing said. "It looks an incredibly expensive option for very little result. For example, Palmwoods people will not be able to take a direct left turn towards Nambour but will have to go up and around."

He said he had discussed the proposal with an expert roads engineer in the United States who, after sighting the plan, had also found it a "very costly" option for a road which was not a major highway, particularly as there were other sections of the road needing urgent attention.

"Traffic lights would be cheaper and would resolve all problems along the road to Nambour," he said. "This is no longer a main road but a feeder road similar to the Bruce Highway as it enters Brisbane so traffic lights would serve equally well if not better."

He said claims by Main Roads officers that the road was a "fast traffic area" were antiquated.

"They should move with the times. Once the Nambour bypass opened, this road became a feeder for local people to get to Nambour. It is already 80kmh on most sections, so traffic lights are not going to make a great deal of difference," he said. "Lights would automatically slow traffic down and would get us instant results rather than allowing an increasingly dangerous situation to go on for at least another year and even longer than that for the Woombye intersections."

Mr Wellington said he believed the overpass represented bureaucrats squandering taxpayer’s money when safety could more quickly be addressed by traffic lights which would solve the situation at all trouble spots along the road.

He said he was looking for a quicker and safer result and for the community to take its preferred option.

"Traffic lights offer a speedier resolution to the safety problems which exist at this intersection and would allow all three intersections with major safety problems to be addressed as a matter of urgency," he said. "This overpass will only aggravate problems at Blackall Street in particular as it will afford no breaks in the traffic for motorists to get on to the Nambour Connection Road and further delay funding for work to be done at Woombye."

Mr Wellington said the proposal represented bureaucrats calling the shots when the government had to balance the books.

"They have blinkers and simply will not look at other options," he said. "Rather than spending millions of dollars on one intersection we should be focusing on the best way to spend the limited funds available to slow the traffic and make all the intersections safer."

Cr Geoff Littler said he was disappointed that people power could foul up and delay construction work on the overpass.

"We have waited long enough for this to happen and as it is happening, it should continue," he said.

David Grant of Palmwoods Coaches said he didn’t care what option was taken up as long as the safety of school buses was ensured at Keil Mountain, Blackall Street, Cobbs Road and Blackall Range Road as soon as possible.

He said former Minister Russ Hinze had advised in 1980 that something would be done.

"We wanted lights then so now the bypass road has been built there is no reason why lights can’t go up at all these intersections," he said. "All we need is for the situation to be tidied up. If they need spend less money at Keil Mountain, then we can put the rest to solving the problems at Woombye and Blackall Range Road."

Alan Grant of Sunshine Coast Coaches said the company would be happy with anything that eased the problem.

"Traffic lights would do the job equally as well, if not better, and save a lot of money on the way through," he said. "All we want is something done to make a safer situation for buses as soon as possible."

Woombye School Principal Rob Edmonds said he supported the overpass plan as it offered a walkway for children to cross the highway.

"Main Roads don’t want to reduce the speed below 80km/h. We have a walkway for children to cross the road. The outcome is excellent for Woombye State School," he said.

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