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TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE GETS $7.5 BILLION IN THE FEDERAL BUDGET

The Prime Minister has announced a $7.5 billion boost for national transport infrastructure to deliver roads and create jobs.

As part of the Government’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan the infrastructure funding includes key investments across all states and territories.

An additional $1.2 billion has also been announced to support Australian businesses to employ 100,000 new apprentices or trainees. From 5 October 2020, businesses that take on a new Australian apprentice will be eligible for a 50 per cent wage subsidy.

In a press release, the Government stated the $7.5 billion funding would build on the series of infrastructure investments already announced in response to the pandemic.

Major project specific investments include: • $560 million for the Singleton Bypass on the New England Highway in New South

Wales; • $528 million for the Shepparton and

Warrnambool Rail Line Upgrades in

Victoria; • $750 million for Stage 1 of the Coomera

Connector (Coomera to Nerang) in

Queensland; • $88 million for the Reid Highway

Interchange with West Swan Road in Close to 180 jobs are being created for the upgrade of Exit 41 from the M1 motorway in the Gold Coast. Crews have now begun construction for the exit in Yatala, which is home to emerging industrial precincts and communities. This work comes after the completion of a $25 million Exit 57 upgrade and the Queensland government’s $10 million commitment to upgrade Exit 45. Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said a new bridge would be built over the M1 while the existing roundabout would be transformed into signalised intersections. Western Australia; $200 million for the Hahndorf Township Improvements and Access Upgrade in South Australia; $150 million for the Midway Point Causeway (including McGees Bridge) and Sorell Causeway as part of the Hobart to Sorell Roads of Strategic Importance corridor in Tasmania; $120 million to upgrade the Carpentaria Highway in the Northern Territory; and $88 million for the Molonglo River Bridge in the ACT.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Federal Budget would deliver funding for infrastructure which supports the Government’s JobMaker plan and helps the nation recover from COVID-19.

“We have been working closely with state and territory governments to invest in the infrastructure that is ready to go and can help rebuild our economy and create more jobs,” the Prime Minister said. “These projects will keep commuters safe on the road, get people home to their loved ones sooner and “Almost one million people will call the Gold Coast home by 2041, and it’s crucial that our road and transport system is ready for that boom, and that we’re creating the jobs for the people that move here,” Bailey said. He said because of the effort of Queenslanders to manage the impacts of COVID-19 these projects are able to get underway and be completed. “For the Gold Coast that means we’ve been able to complete Exit 57, start building a $1 billion M1 upgrade to the border, lock in $755 million to build a second M1 and upgrade those interchanges provide better transport links for urban and regional communities.”

He said the investment was part of the government’s plan to support an estimated 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government is focused on delivering priorities and boosting local jobs as part of Australia’s road to recovery.

“We will draw on local businesses to stimulate local economies through these projects,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“Infrastructure means jobs, it means livelihoods, it means stronger local communities and it means building a better and more secure future for our nation.”

The Federal Budget has allocated $7.5

CONTRACTORS BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF M1 UPGRADES IN QUEENSLAND

billion to transport infrastructure projects. in the northern suburbs where that growth is expected.” The upgrade is expected to help avoid traffic queuing on the M1 with new on and off-ramps to be built and additional lanes added to Cuthbert Drive. “One of the outcomes of the Northern Gold Coast Mobility Study we conducted earlier this year identified that active transport was huge ask from residents, so we’ll be maximising the upgrade by building new shared paths to connect both sides,” Bailey said. Construction on the project is expected to be complete by 2022.

INFRASTRUCTURE AUSTRALIA NAMES ADDITIONAL PRIORITY PROJECTS

The Parkes Bypass in New South Wales and the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge upgrade in Canberra have been added to the Infrastructure Priority List.

Yearly Infrastructure Australia releases a list of opportunities for the near, medium and long term. This year the organisation released a mid-year list for the first time highlighting projects set to boost the economy during Australia’s COVID-19 recovery.

Infrastructure Australia Chief Executive, Romilly Madew said the organisation has been working collaboratively with Australia’s governments to provide advice on a staged response for managing, and recovering from, the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One critical element of our advice is to maintain a pipeline of nationally-significant infrastructure investments which have strong strategic merit and clear community benefits,” she said.

“With the addition of two new Priority Projects the Infrastructure Priority List now showcases more than $65 billion worth of nationally-significant investment opportunities for governments at all levels to choose from.”

The Parkes Bypass is a proposed $175 Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) have reaffirmed their commitment to their joint research and development initiative, the National Asset Centre of Excellence (NACOE), through the signing of their renewed agreement for 2021-2026. The new agreement was signed by Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads Director-General Neil Scales OBE and ARRB’s Queensland State Technical Leader Matthew Bereni. Through NACOE, TMR and ARRB strive to maximise their combined resources and remove the barriers of innovation to provide smarter engineering outcomes to both million project involving the construction of a 10.5 kilometre bypass along the Newell Highway. It will include bridges over existing railway lines, connections to the Parkes Special Activation Precinct and upgrades to local roads.

“Within New South Wales, the Newell highway plays a critical role servicing local traffic and consumer freight, and carries a significant volume of agricultural commodities from farms and other producers. Up to 4,500 vehicles travel along the Newell Highway through Parkes each day, of which 15-25 per cent are heavy vehicles – creating significant safety risks for the local community,” Madew said.

She said the benefit to cost ratio of 1.2 makes Parkes Bypass a nationally-significant investment opportunity.

The Commonwealth Avenue Bridge upgrade proposal outlines a $127.4 million project which will deliver critical safety improvements to the bridge. It would also enable the bridge to form part of the corridor for the planned extension of the Canberra Metro light rail network. “Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is one of the busiest transport assets in Canberra. Built in 1963, the Bridge reached design capacity the Queensland and the Australian road industries. “Since its inception in 2012, NACOE has delivered some major economic benefits to our state through cost-effective and higher performing pavements and structures, enhanced asset management practices, and by improving road safety and network operation outcomes,” Scales said. The program has been a leading force in researching new products and approaches outside the scope of established standards and specifications to gain market acceptance in Australia. NACOE is heavily focused on collaborating with industry to improve best practises by bringing new knowledge into

The two new priority projects are evaluated to be of national significance.

more than three years ago, carrying an average of 7,320 vehicles during the morning peak hour. With traffic demand forecast to increase by 25 per cent over the next 15 years, its current structural issues are expected to worsen,” Madew said. She said an upgrade would extend the design life by 50 years. “With stated a benefit-cost ratio of 2.65, it represents a sound strategic investment with benefits for the broader Australian economy.”

These projects are advanced proposals with a fully developed business case which has been positively assessed by the independent Infrastructure Australia Board. They remain

QUEENSLAND LEADING THE FUTURE OF INNOVATIVE TRANSPORT RESEARCH INTO 2026

on the list until construction begins. practise sooner and providing efficiency gains on a national scale. “In 2019-20, we have further advanced our knowledge in the use of recycled materials such as glass, construction waste, crumb rubber and plastics to build new, highperforming and resilient roads. This research is instrumental in driving cost savings and enhanced performance while reducing the overall transport industry’s carbon footprint,” Bereni said. “I encourage everyone to follow the National Asset Centre of Excellence on social media and check out our webpage to learn more about our past work and out current program of activities”.