By Jess Baker
$200 million repair works at a renowned danger zone north-east of Warwick have progressed to the design stage after years of crashes, fallen rocks, and slippage.
Federal member for Maranoa David Littleproud last week announced that local residents and road users were one step closer to a safer and more reliable Cunningham’s Gap, with the project design recently awarded to engineering and design company ARUP.
“Cunningham’s Gap has long caused concerns for Maranoa residents and road users as a notorious bottleneck and high crash zone,” Mr Littleproud said.
“This was only made worse when bushfires swept through the area in 2019, damaging vegetation and increasing the risk of rock falls.
“Repairs to the route are long overdue with traffic still forced to use a single southbound lane and road users regularly experiencing delays due to very slow heavy vehicle traffic.”
Mr Littleproud said that a fix was finally in sight, with a detailed design of the repair works expected to be completed by September 2021.
“Construction on this project can’t come quick enough. This is a major freight route between Brisbane and Sydney, and our regions west of the Great Dividing Range can ill-afford the ongoing bottlenecks to continue,” he said.
“This milestone means we are one step closer to a safer and more reliable Cunningham’s Gap.”
Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi said that while the council appreciates the federal and state governments’ decision to repair damage at the Gap, it will continue to advocate for “permanent long-term connectivity solutions for the Southern Downs”.
“Cunningham’s Gap is a bottleneck that continues to inhibit the easy connectivity to our region via road,” Cr Pennisi said.
“It is the entrance to our region from Brisbane and is where most of our goods and services enter and exit the region.”
Cr Pennisi said that the bottleneck has, for many years, inhibited the Southern Downs’ ability to reach its full potential.
“SDRC has identified this as a major long-term project and consequently we will continue to advocate for better solutions to this vital transport corridor,” he said.
“With today’s ability to access innovative technologies, options such as a tunnel could be a viable (solution) and one that has been the focus of conversations for many years.”
The project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements program, and aims to repair slope damage caused by bushfires at the Gap.
Southern Downs residents would remember the significant impact that the closure of the Gap during the 2019 bushfires had on the community, with significantly reduced visitor numbers to the region.
Cr Pennisi said the closure highlighted the need for a more permanent solution to the highway through the Gap which remains today in a “volatile condition”.
“(The) council welcomes the news that design works will be undertaken for repairs and will continue to advocate for the identified works to be funded and constructed,” he said.
The federal government is expected to fund up to 75 percent of the repair project, and the state government 25 percent.
At this stage, construction is on track to commence in January 2022.
