Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the past two years our Liberal-National coalition government has got on with the job of building safer and more efficient roads in Central Queensland. Today I am pleased to inform the House of yet another significant milestone worth $166 million in my electorate of Capricornia. The official construction has started on a major upgrade of the Eton Range crossing on the notorious Peak Downs Highway, west of Mackay. In late January I officially inspected the site to launch the start of formal building work following earlier geo-engineering trials. This project is about saving lives on the busy mining route which has been the site of far too many horrific and deadly accidents involving heavy vehicles and trucks.

It is worth noting that this is in fact a state-run highway and, as such, is really the responsibility of the Queensland Labor government. But the federal coalition is contributing all of the $166 million to fix the notorious Eton Range crossing. The highway is predominantly used to serve the inland coal-mining sector. The new alignment between Nebo and Mackay will reduce the gradient of the highway over the Eton Range, making it safer to accommodate heavy trucks. I am proud that our federal coalition government is delivering for the truck drivers, workers, residents, property owners and country travellers who use the Peak Downs Highway in this particular spot.

In addition, the regional economy will benefit, with around 295 jobs being supported over the life of the project. For industry, especially the coal industry, these works will provide an upgraded crossing for the Eton Range that will improve the safety and operational efficiency of the 35-kilometre stretch of the Peak Downs Highway.

Over 4,000 vehicles, including 800 heavy trucks, travel through the Eton Range each day. The highway is the only designated B-double route from Mackay west to the northern Bowen Basin and therefore will provide a vital link for the mining, grazing and agricultural industries in the area. This project involves the construction of two dual-lane carriageways that will reduce delays caused by slow-moving vehicles and improve safety for all road users. The works will also eliminate the straight-line approach to the highway's steep downward gradient. Extra lanes will also be built to avoid the need to close the range for wide loads. Weather permitting, this life-saving construction project is expected to be completed in late 2018.