Queensland Transport and Roads Investment program set to create over 20,000 jobs in QLD

The QTRIP is committed to investing $23 billion into Queensland’s transport infrastructure over the next four years.

Key projects of the QTRIP will include; the Bruce Highway upgrade linking Brisbane to Cairns, the Walkerston Bypass in Mackay, the $121 million Rockhampton Northern Access Upgrade and the Haughton River Floodplain Upgrade in Townsville valued at $150 million.

The QTRIP will focus mostly on regional areas with $14.5 billion of the budget being allocated to regional projects, supporting local communities by providing updated infrastructure.

Queensland’s population is currently 4.9m and is predicted to increase to around 6.9m by 2037. The majority of this increase is likely to be in South East Queensland, coastal communities and regional centres which is why these areas are the primary focus.

Since 2015, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads have created a steady pipeline of projects to support Queensland’s increased demand for infrastructure and jobs for locals. More than 13,500 of the 20,000 jobs are forecasted to be outside of this south east corner.

Although a huge focus is on regional areas, Brisbane is also set to have a few significant upgrades with  $1.03 billion being spent on widening of the Pacific Motorway between Varsity Lakes and Tugun from four to six lanes, $1 billion on the Gateway Motorway extension between Bracken Ridge and Pine River and $749 million on widening the motorway and busway extension along the Pacific Motorway between Eight Mile Plains and Daisy Hill