Hervey Bay Gossip

Back on December 29 … in the middle of all that rain … we had to take an unexpected trip from Hervey Bay to Ipswich and back. We knew that the highway was going to a bit of a mess but we weren’t expecting it to be quite as bad as what it was.

We encountered this sign just south of Maryborough

The other part of the sign read "... to Gympie" but that wasn't quite right.

The potholes certainly started just after we passed that sign but they almost disappeared once we crossed the boundary between the Fraser Coast Regional Council and Gympie Council and on the return journey all the potholes on the Gympie side of the border had been patched.

I guess that’s not surprising … we passed two patching crews in the Gympie part of the highway.

Sadly that wasn’t the case on the Fraser Coast Regional Council’s side of the border. On the return journey the potholes were worse and in one five kilometre stretch south of Tiaro we passed six cars pulled over on the side of the road so that the drivers could change tyres … some even had buckled rims.

Again I guess that’s not surprising … we didn’t see one patching crew at work on any of the roads we travelled over in the Fraser Coast Regional Council’s area.

These two photos are just a sample of the road conditions we encountered south of Maryborough and if the rain that the Bureau is forecasting comes … and you’re travelling down the Bruce Highway this weekend … we would suggest that you drive with care.

Preliminary work has begun on a $10 million road upgrade to significantly improve peak-hour traffic flow and road safety in Hervey Bay.

Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said a 1km section of Boat Harbour Drive between Hunter Street and McNally Street would be widened as part of a $2 million contract.

The work will be carried out by Neumann Contractors.

Mr Pitt said the upgrade would ensure Hervey Bay was ready for its future growth.

“This project will widen the road to four lanes, upgrade eight intersections and provide a new road surface suitable for the expected growth over the next 15 years,” Mr Pitt said.

“A new concrete pedestrian footpath will link existing council pathways between Banksia Park Drive and McNally Street, to the new signalised pedestrian crossing at Banksia Park Drive so pedestrians can cross safely.”

Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara said roadworks would take place between Monday and Saturday from 7am to 6pm and were expected to be completed by the end of this year.

“This stretch of road already carries about 20,000 vehicles a day, 2000 of which are commercial in nature,” Mr McNamara said.

“Widening this section of Boat Harbour Drive will significantly improve capacity during peak hours and improve traffic flow for all road users. Improving road safety is a top priority for myself and the State Government.”

Mr McNamara said while the works would make a significant difference to road safety in Hervey Bay, it should be remembered that driver behaviour was a contributing factor in serious crashes.

“I ask motorists to slow down near these road work sites and observe all traffic signals and always drive to the conditions,” he said.

Get ready for some interesting traffic delays at the busiest roundabout in Hervey Bay. Yep work is about to start on something on the Boat Harbour Drive/Main Street roundabout.

Speed limits have already been reduced to 40km/h and traffic controllers have been seen and there are some unusual marks and numbers painted on the road surface that look rather ominous … and don’t the school holidays start next week?

Now that’s what I call planning!

The new traffic lights at the intersection of Central Avenue and Boat Harbour Drive in Hervey Bay are set to be turned on next Friday.

The lights and the associated roadworks are reported to have cost $1.7 million. It will be interesting to see how the new lights work for traffic coming down from the Main Street roundabout.

The installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Boat Harbour Drive and Central Avenue here in Hervey Bay is now underway but that’s not the only change to Boat Harbour Drive that’s set to happen.

Funds were set aside in the last State budget for the widening of Boat Harbour Drive between Hunter Street and McNally Street (if you’re not sure where that is then this map will help you locate the area) and now the time to start spending those funds is drawing near.

Hervey Bay residents will have the chance to provide input into plans for the $10 million Boat Harbour Drive upgrade project, ahead of construction starting early next year.

Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the upgrade on Boat Harbour Drive between Hunter Street and McNally Street would cater for traffic growth in the area.

“Boat Harbour Drive is the city’s busiest road, with about 20,000 vehicles travelling along it each day,” Mr Pitt said.

“With Hervey Bay’s rising population, there is a need to cater for a growing amount of traffic using Boat Harbour Drive.”

Member for Hervey Bay and Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation Andrew McNamara said the project would involve resurfacing and widening the road to four lanes, as well as upgrading eight intersections.

“In addition, two new sets of traffic signals will be installed – at Taylor Street and Banksia Park Drive,” Mr McNamara said.

“A new concrete pedestrian footpath will link existing council pathways, between Banksia Park Drive and McNally Street, to the new signalised pedestrian crossing at Banksia Park Drive, ensuring pedestrians can cross Boat Harbour Drive safely.”

Mr McNamara said Main Roads’ public displays would be held at the Centro Shopping Centre, Hervey Bay Library and Hervey Bay City Council from now until 1 November.

“Staff will be at the Centro Shopping Centre on Saturday 27 October from 10am to 12pm and on Thursday 1 November from 11am to 2pm, to address any questions about the upgrade,” he said.

“The community’s input will assist Main Roads in completing the final road design before construction starts early next year.”

The public can also contact Main Roads on 1300 728 390.

 

Last week two new sets of traffic lights on Boat Harbour Drive were announced in the State Budget but those aren’t the only new sets of  traffic lights that are coming to Hervey Bay.

Hervey Bay City Council has announced that it will be calling tenders in mid July for the installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Queens Road and Torquay Road. That’s definitely an intersection that needs lights but will the lights lead to more people using Queens Road to access the Esplanade via an intersection that can be quite difficult to negotiate at times?

 

The detail of the latest Queensland budget has now been released and the major impact for Hervey Bay will in road widening projects, the installation of new traffic lights, more contracts awarded to EDI Rail in Maryborough and an upgrade of the Buccaneer Pontoon at Urangan.

Boat Harbour Drive will be upgraded to 4 lanes between Hunter and McNally Streets and new traffic lights will be installed at the intersections with Taylor Street and Banksia Park Drive.

You will find a map here that plots those changes.

The Maryborough to Hervey Bay Road will also be upgraded with the sections between the Torbanlea turn-off and the Dundowran Road turn-off, and between the Dundowran turn-off and the Pialba to Burrum Heads turn off, widened to four lanes.

 

Three intersections on Pialba to Burrum Heads Rd are being upgraded at a cost of $1.3 million after requests by locals for improvements to road safety and traffic flow.

Member for HerveyBay and Parliamentary Secretary for Main Roads Andrew McNamara today announced work is underway on upgrades to the Dundowran-Ansons Rd,Crawford Drand Karraschs-Sawmill Rd intersections.

“These are improvements demanded by the community, it has put the projects on the map and Main Roads is delivering.

“Residents called for the road works at a community meeting and while it was understood the upgrades wouldn’t happen overnight, I can give an undertaking the work will be finished within the timeframe set at the forum.

“Rest assured the intersection improvements are being delivered in the way the community wants them built.

“It means better traffic flow and increased safety for motorists and pedestrians.”

Mr McNamara said the intersection upgrades would be finished by the end of July.

Works will include:

·Auxiliary lanes and shielded turning lanes added at all three intersections

·Medians painted at Dundowran Rd and Ansons Rd

·Raised concrete islands and medians installed at Karraschs Rd and Sawmill Rd

“The speed limit has been temporarily lowered and there will be minor traffic delays with construction now in full swing.

“But the improvements to these intersections will be well worth the inevitable inconvenience of road works,” Mr McNamara said.

One of the nastiest blackspots on the roads around Hervey Bay is about to be upgraded … but will it be enough?

Speed and red light camera fines are being invested in a $200,000 dollar upgrade of a key Hervey Bay intersection.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, said the intersection of Booral Road and Main Street would receive a safety makeover as party of a state wide strategy to reduce the road toll.

“The intersection will gain a painted median and a dedicated right turn lane into Main Street, and its being paid for by speeding motorists and red light runners,” Mr Lucas said.

Main Street intersection is one of 77 high priority projects worth more than $46 million approved by the Safer Roads Sooner Ministerial Advisory Committee chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Main Roads, and Member for Hervey Bay, Andrew McNamara.

“It’s an intersection under considerable pressure with traffic volume using Booral Road and Main Street growing by about 8 percent every year.

“This upgrade will deliver substantial road safety benefits for motorists.

“With Safer Roads Sooner the primary focus is projects with potential to reduce the state’s road toll.

“The committee has targeted projects which will make the biggest impact on road safety,” Mr McNamara said.

In all, a total of 261 projects have been made possible by the Beattie Government’s Safer Road Sooner program since beginning in 2005.

The $6.2m project to upgrade Boat Harbour Drive between Honiton Street and Lavell Street has been completed, four months ahead of schedule.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Paul Lucas and Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara today inspected the newly opened works.

Mr Lucas said the upgrade involved replacing the old road surface with asphalt, the widening of each of the intersections within the 2km stretch, a concrete kerb and channelling on the northern side of the road, and the installation of new traffic signals at Robert Street.

“This project was about reducing congestion and improving safety,” Mr Lucas said.

“And it’s great news that local motorists are travelling on the upgraded road well ahead of schedule.”

Member for Hervey Bay Andrew McNamara welcomed the completion of work and said it would make a major difference for residents in the area.

“This is a big boost for locals,” Mr McNamara said.

“Students walking or cycling to the local schools and other pedestrians are much safer now when using the new signalised pedestrian crossing at Robert Street.”

Mr McNamara thanked locals who had experienced detours and road works since the start of the year.

“I thank everyone for their patience and I’m pleased work finished so far ahead of schedule.”

Mr McNamara also made special mention of the local contractor who delivered the work.

“From day one, the contractor Belllero Constructions made sure they had the equipment, materials and workforce on site ready to go, which played a big part in getting motorists onto this upgrade ahead of schedule,” he said.

Mr Lucas said the Boat Harbour Drive works were just one of the road projects being undertaken in HerveyBay this financial year.