Plan to tackle Warrego black spots

The aftermath of a crash at Crowley Vale in which three people died.

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FOUR accident-plagued intersections on the Warrego Highway will be made safer under a State Government plan to spend $40 million on the road’s danger spots.

Several people have died in road accidents at the black spots on the highway stretch between Blacksoil and Withcott.

Work on the intersections at Crowley Vale, Haigslea, College View and Minden is expected to start early next year, with a timeline for upgrades not available until the final designs are completed.

Member for Ipswich West Wayne Wendt said the Warrego Highway needed urgent attention due to the high level of traffic.

“The road is in need of major modifications and safety improvements between Blacksoil and the bottom of the Toowoomba Range,” he said.

“We’re hoping to have it done by the end of the next calendar year.

“Extra funding will be invested in new signage, guardrail installation, removal of roadside obstacles, minor drainage safety works, line marking and culvert replacement works.

“The south-west corridor is booming and transport demand on this section of highway has grown by more than a third since 2001.

“This is all new money. In my four years in the job I’ve never seen this type of money come out here.”

Mr Wendt said the State Government would fund the upgrades even though the highway was technically a Federal Government responsibility.

“It needs upgrading immediately,” he said.

“We will continue to seek additional funds from the Federal Government to carry on with additional safety improvement works beyond this financial year.”

Five lives were lost in accidents along the Warrego Highway stretch in the six months to last April.

Ipswich mother Maggie Halliwell and her two young sons died at the Crowley Vale intersection, near Gatton.

Aged-care worker Marie Ellis, 56, was also killed in a horrific two-car crash at the same intersection in July.

Member for Lockyer Ian Rickuss wrote to Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace after the accident, urging him to give priority to safety works.

Mr Rickuss said yesterday the number of vehicles using the highway was increasing.

“We’ve just got to make it safer,” he said.

Three or four crashes occurred near Crowley Vale during a single week in August.

Resident Jay Dodds asked recently for the 100kmh speed limit to be reduced to 80kmh. She said there was at least one serious crash a month at the intersection.

“I live here and I’m too scared to use the highway,” she said.

The four intersections to be upgraded are:

• Crowley Vale Road and Harm Drive, Crowley Vale
• Claus Road and Thagoona-Haigslea Road, Haigslea
• Moroney Road, College View
• Tallegalla Road and Lowood-Minden Road, Minden

This latest funding is in addition to the $70 million for the Blacksoil Interchange.