Funds to improve two Toowoomba trouble spots

Local motorists who regularly use main thoroughfares in the Newtown area of Toowoomba will welcome planned changes to two intersections.

Funds have been included in a $21.7 million allocation for Queensland under the Australian Government’s Black Spot Program to fund the improvement of 38 dangerous crash sites on the state’s roads in 2023-24.

At the intersection of West Street and Margaret Street, changes will see split signal phases introduced to remove filter turns on east-west approaches and improve pedestrian safety with increased delay start time.

(Queensland Transport and Main Roads describes a filter turn as a turning movement where a driver must give way to opposing vehicle and/or pedestrian movements before proceeding. The driver does so, without the aid of specific traffic signals to guide them when it is safe to do so. A filter right turn is a turn where a turning vehicle has a green circular light but no arrow.}

The changes at the West and Margaret Streets intersection are expected to cost $331,500.

Of this total, $291,500 will be provided under the Government’s Black Spot Program while Toowoomba Regional Council will contribute $40,000.

The second intersection to receive Black Spot Program funding is Bridge Street and Holberton Street in Newtown. This work will see split signal phases introduced to remove filter turns on the north-south approaches, the creation of dedicated left-turn lanes, a marked cycle lane and an increase delay in start time of traffic signals.

The Bridge and Holberton Streets project will cost $342,000. The Australian Government Black Spot Program will provide $302,000 with the remaining $40,000 to be funded by the Regional Council.

Under the Program, Black Spot Consultative Panels provide the opportunity for stakeholders to have a say in the project selection process, and ensure that nominations of the highest priority and importance to the local community are recommended for approval.

The panel that reviews priorities for the program in Queensland includes representatives from the Queensland Police Service, Local Government Association of Queensland, Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, Queensland Trucking Association, Bicycle Queensland, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety (Queensland University of Technology), Traffic Management Association of Australia, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia and the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.