An early start will be made to 22 Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) projects under a joint Commonwealth/Queensland State Government agreement announced this week.
Key regional routes targeted for works include the Flinders Highway, Kennedy Developmental Road (Hann Highway), Carnarvon Highway, Dawson Highway and Dawson Developmental Road (Springsure – Tambo), Gulf Developmental Road, Gregory Highway and Gregory Developmental Road, Balonne Highway, Gore Highway, Proserpine-Shute Harbour Road and the local government-controlled Floraville Road in Burke Shire.
The 22 jointly funded regional roads projects are worth $185 million, and include road-sealing works, new overtaking lanes, and intersection upgrades.
The Queensland Government will talk with local councils (through the Regional Roads and Transport Groups) and other stakeholders to identify projects that can be prioritised within the remaining ROSI corridor investment allocations.
In other Queensland news, the Industrial Relations Commission has approved temporary changes to the award covering council employees to lessen the impacts of the Covid19 pandemic.
The changes – agreed to by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and the Services Union – will make it easier for employees to be redeployed to other areas of a council’s business, work more flexible hours and get early access to some forms of leave, such as long service leave.
LGAQ CEO Greg Hallam said the temporary measures would ensure greater job security for the sector as it strives to continue delivering essential services and critical support to communities throughout the pandemic.