6 May 2021
Every year, Southern Downs Regional Council targets notorious traffic black spots for improvements and upgrades as part of its ongoing commitment to road safety, and is now calling on the community to nominate local dangerous roads and intersections.
Through the Australian Government’s Black Spot Program, Council is seeking funding in 2022/23 to fix areas of concern and will submit specific projects for funding approval following community feedback and previously identified projects/locations.
Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi said road safety was everyone’s responsibility and encouraged the region’s road users to nominate high-risk roads and intersections.
“Road crashes and fatal accidents have an enormous human toll and disrupt and destroy lives every year,” Mayor Pennisi said.
“The Australian Government and Council are committed to building better, safer roads across the region for all road users, whether they are locals or visitors who travel here to enjoy everything that our unique locality has to offer.
“Council has a comprehensive program of road works and the Black Spot Program is a vital component of this important body of work to ensure the most hazardous roads are targeted for improvement.
“Upgrades of identified black spots on the Southern Downs creates jobs for locals through construction and industry contracts and Council is all about the means to support our community and regional economy.”
Under its funding criteria, the Government classifies black spots as either reactive or proactive: reactive sites are roads or intersections which have a crash history and proactive sites are ones considered potentially hazardous. Therefore, some program funds may be approved to treat sites where road traffic engineers have completed a Road Safety Audit and found that remedial work is necessary. This allows an opportunity for proactive safety works to be undertaken before casualties occur.
Black Spot projects which meet the funding criteria include safety works such as improving sight distances, improving curves, removing road side hazards, increasing safety at intersections and providing protection to pedestrians.
Council’s proposed projects will need to be submitted and approved by the Federal Government before any works can commence.
The Australian Government’s Black Spot Program is funded through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications and is administered through the Queensland Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads.
Council would appreciate community feedback on locations with road safety concerns to be submitted prior to 14 May 2021 via mail@sdrc.qld.gov.au.