13 April 2022
Seventy-eight people have died on Queensland’s road this year and almost 5000 have been hospitalised from road crashes. Given that people living in regional areas are more likely to be involved in a serious incident than our city cousins, Southern Downs Regional Council is calling on the community to recommend local high-risk roads and intersections for improvements and upgrades as part of its ongoing commitment to road safety.
Through the Australian Government’s Black Spot Program, Council is seeking funding in 2023/24 to fix notorious areas of concern and will submit specific projects for funding approval following community feedback and previously identified projects/locations.
Councillor Andrew Gale said road safety becomes more important each year and encouraged the community to nominate dangerous roads and intersections so that road safety can be improved for all road users and reduce crash incidents.
“The human toll from road crashes and fatal accidents each year disrupts and destroys lives and road safety is a responsibility that all levels of government need to take seriously,” Councillor Gale said.
“As an organisation that looks after a vast network of roads in our area, Council wants to make our roads safer for residents and visitors who travel here to enjoy everything that our unique locality has to offer.
“Whilst driver behaviour is by far the biggest factor in road incidents, engineering issues certainly have an impact too. Solutions such as road and intersection upgrades can be addressed through the Black Spot Program are an effective means to reduce incidents and the impact on our families and overall community.
“By targeting notorious traffic black spots and working with the Australian Government to build better, safer roads across the region, we are continually addressing and improving our extensive road network.
“Council is currently delivering a $1.4m Black Spot Program for 2021/22 as part of an ongoing commitment to improving and upgrading identified dangerous traffic locations.
“Council’s works program for maintaining and bettering our roads is a comprehensive body of works with many moving parts and the Black Spot Program makes it possible to deliver without expense to the ratepayer.”
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 Australian Government before any works can commence.
In an announcement by The Hon Barnaby Joyce MP Deputy Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development on 6 April 2022 Council was successful in attracting $954,00 in funding for 8 previously nominated projects for the Black Spot Program 22/23, including:
- Albert Street intersection
- Ann Street / Glen Road intersection
- Corundum Street / Marsh Street pedestrian crossing
- Denham Street / Folkestone Street intersection
- Glen Road / Willi Street intersection
- Hendon-Deuchar Road / Cullens Road intersection
- Paynes Road widening
- Whiskey Gully Road / Yellowbox Road intersection
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 12 May 2022 via mail@sdrc.qld.gov.au.
Last edited date 13 Apr 2022