General News
19 March, 2022
Widening Kuranda Range Rd
According to David Kempton, the Chair of Regional Development Australia Tropical North Inc, widening the existing Kuranda Range Road may be the most cost-effective medium-term solution to improve access to the Atherton Tablelands.
An independent organisation brokering regional development solutions, Regional Development Australia Tropical North reviewed four reports produced over 20 years.
New ideas were raised in the media following the $1.6 million Cairns to Northern Tablelands Access Strategy, which found no alternative route was needed for 30 years.
Mr Kempton said the review had considered the traffic projections, freight and environmental issues raised in previous reports to seek a cost-effective solution.
“Widening the existing Kuranda Range Road to B-double standard and creating more overtaking lanes is possible within the current footprint with minimal disturbance to the Wet Tropics area,” he said.
“An estimate for a preferred option from 2014 was $3.1 billion, with much of that cost from inflation and debt servicing when compared to estimates in 2001 of $300 million and $700 million in 2006.
“The minimum build time was ten years and involved constructing a four-lane highway paralleling or overlaying the existing route but consisting of 40% bridges.
“Approval for the 2014 Kuranda upgrade from the Wet Tropics was obtained and remains in place until December 2030,” Mr Kempton said.
“Finding a solution to the Kuranda Range has been the topic of much debate recently and, in fact, over the past two decades, with the main issues facing the present access road being delays, safety and BDouble restrictions.
“The main constraints facing any proposal to widen or relocate the highway are the high construction cost and the environmental offsets including Wet Tropics approval.
“These are significant factors impacting any route; however, each proposed route has its issues.
“For example, the Quaid Road option adds 31km to the trip and requires a significant upgrade, realignment and straightening as well as channelling heavy traffic at Wangetti, meaning the Cook Highway would also need an upgrade.
“The Redcliffe proposal requires 25km of new construction with grades of up to 7 per cent and severe residential dislocation.
“Member for Kennedy Bob Katter’s Bridle path requires the construction of 23km of roadway and tunnel which needs to avoid Copperlode Dam and would impact residential areas south of Cairns city.
“The Gillies and Palmerston routes are either not suitable or add too much distance to the route,” he said.
People can find the Tableland Access Options Report on the Regional Development Australia Tropical North website.
