INFRASTRUCTURE TO FORGE OUR FUTURE CAIRNS TNQ STATE BUDGET PRIORITIES 2022-23
COASTAL ROADS COUNCILS: CAIRNS , CASSOWARY COAST, HINCHINBROOK, TOWNSVILLE STATE ELECTORATES: CAIRNS, HINCHINBROOK FEDERAL ELECTORATES: HERBERT, KENNEDY, LEICHHARDT
BRIEFING NOTE SUMMARY • TNQ’s road transport system is under pressure due to population growth, particularly on the coastal road network around Cairns, which is the main distribution hub for the region. • The Bruce Highway is one of Australia’s highest risk roads, and in the 5 years to 2020 there were 604 casualty crashes and 33 fatalities on the stretch between Cairns and Townsville. • When the Captain Cook Highway is flooded, the Cairns Western Arterial Road is the only flood-free access route between Cairns, the Northern Beaches, and the Kennedy Highway. •In the 2021-22 budget, the Federal Government allocated $240M to duplicate the entire length of the Cairns Western Arterial Road. Additionally, the Queensland Government promised $60M for the road in the lead-up to the last election.
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THE ISSUE
An integrated and efficient road transport network is critical for economic stability and growth in Tropical North Queensland (TNQ) and the coastal road network plays an important part. The main coastal roads for TNQ that require significant upgrading are: 1. The Bruce Highway A1 (Cairns to Townsville) 2. The Cairns Ring Road (comprising the Captain Cook Highway and the Cairns Western Arterial Road) In TNQ, the road network underpins the economy. The road network is vital to the resident population of 256,0391 (with up to 50,000 tourists during peak holiday season) ensuring accessibility to health, education, community services, and trade. Due to sustained population growth, TNQ’s road transport system faces increasing pressure. Meeting the growing demand for freight has strained existing infrastructure, impacting on transport costs and service levels across the supply chain. The strain has been exacerbated by uneven population dispersion, competing road users, and resilience gaps in the road network, which is frequently impacted by weather events. Traffic congestion, safety issues, and a loss of liveability and connectivity are the key issues for these roads. The Bruce Highway is part of the National Highway A1, providing the vital link between Cairns and Townsville, other Queensland coastal cities, and Brisbane. The highway also supports the transport of freight into and out of the region. Cairns and Townsville are northern Australia’s largest cities, yet the mostly single carriageway highway is inadequate for the population base and is frequently closed due to flooding. There is significant traffic congestion on the Captain Cook Highway and along the Cairns Western Arterial Road (CWAR), both of which lead from the Northern Beaches into the city. This makes the transport of freight to, from, and between the key port locations difficult.
While there is significant potential to expand export activities for the TNQ region, particularly to Asian markets, connectivity between ports is a critical enabling factor in the future development of Cairns as an export and service hub. Cairns’ population is forecast to grow by 42%2 by 2046, and with its geography highly constrained by World Heritage-listed mountains and rainforest to the west and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the east, the ability to build new roads is severely limited. Therefore, it is imperative for the future prosperity and liveability of Cairns that both the Bruce Highway and the Cairns Ring Road be upgraded.
