A Long Wait For Bowen Roads

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

The long-awaited projects for road safety improvements in the Bowen area will forge ahead in early 2023, but it is looking likely they will take over a year to complete – a timeline the Federal Member for Dawson said is “not good enough”.

The state government awarded contracts to two projects last week, announcing works between Bowen Connection Road and Champion Street intersections.

Construction ceased in February 2022 after principal contractor WBHO Infrastructure Pty Ltd went into voluntary administration.

New contractor FKG Civil will now deliver six kilometres of safety improvements in the area which include road widening, wide centre line treatments, guard rails, protected turn lanes, removal of roadside hazards and an upgrade to the Bowen Connection Road and Don Street intersection.

They are expected to be complete in early 2024 but Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Wilcox, said this is too long for residents to endure.

“While I am relieved that new contractors have been appointed and works will recommence it is just not good enough to expect locals to put up with this,” he said.

“If this road was in the southeast corner, they would not be waiting years for six kilometres of safety improvements to be completed.

“The hard reality is locals are over it. We have been dealing with dangerous road conditions and lowered speed limits with no action for almost 12 months and to hear the completion date keeps getting dragged out is very frustrating.”  

Willcox took his frustrations to social media where the community responded with their comments, many stating that the current situation is dangerous and the speed restriction pointless in some areas.

“I find the tall red bollards very difficult to see through at the intersection of Bowen. They have been there for so long it’s unbelievable. I breathe a sigh of relief every time I successfully make the right turn to continue the Bruce Highway south,” said one disappointed road user.

“If the roads can’t be fixed, can someone please revise the speed limits? Doing 60 in some and 80 in other sections with no workers and no work happening is ridiculous,” said another.