WITH a Federal Election due soon, both sides of the political divide have made announcements on one of the region’s most demanded infrastructure projects, the Brisbane Valley Highway Upgrade.
Last Thursday, the Labor Government announced an extra $20 million towards the highway safety upgrades project – funds that are already secured rather than just an election commitment.
This adds to the existing $40.5 million joint investment by the Federal Government, State Government, and Somerset Regional Council, which was announced as part of the SEQ City Deal.
Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann emphasised the importance of these upgrades for safety and connectivity, describing the Brisbane Valley Highway as a “major arterial road that carries up to 11,000 vehicles per day”.
“The Somerset Region is economically dependent on the Brisbane Valley Highway,” he said.
“The combined funding will deliver improvements aimed at reducing fatalities and injuries along this key freight and commuter corridor.”
Key upgrades include the installation of dedicated turning lanes at intersections to reduce the risk of rear-end crashes.
These will build on previous safety improvements, such as road resealing, shoulder widening, pedestrian facility upgrades and pavement strengthening.
“The Brisbane Valley Highway is a busy highway with a significant number of vehicles using it to travel in and out of Ipswich every day,” Mr Neumann said.
“There have been too many lives lost to road trauma on this highway, which is why we are taking action to keep locals safe.”
Planning and detailed design work are expected to be completed by mid-2026, with construction following soon after.
The project’s scope will be flexible, with upgrades prioritised based on the risk profile of individual intersections.
Meanwhile, LNP candidate for Blair Carl Mutzelburg pledged that an LNP government would match the additional $20 million commitment.
“The LNP will enhance safety and reliability for the Somerset community by upgrading the Brisbane Valley Highway,” Mr Mutzelburg said.
“Residents continually raise with me just how important safety upgrades are on this dangerous patch of road.”
He added that the LNP’s pledge, combined with the $20 million already secured by the Queensland State Government, would bring their total investment to $40 million.
“Only the LNP will deliver better roads for the people of Ipswich and Somerset,” he said.
With both parties committed to improving this essential corridor, the Brisbane Valley Highway upgrade is set to become a key election issue for voters in the region.
