- Works on a key transport corridor in South West Queensland are now complete as part of the Country Roads Connect Program.
- Maranoa Regional Council received $3.6 million in state funding to seal Yuleba-Surat Road.
- Country Roads Connect is funding 22 projects across Queensland, paving the way to a fresh start for regional roads.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering reliable roads for regional Queenslanders with the completion of a key transport corridor upgrade in the Maranoa, sealing a 3.5-kilometre section of Yuleba-Surat Road.
The works were made possible by the Crisafulli Government’s $100 million Country Roads Connect Program, reversing Labor’s decade of decline that saw regional roads suffer from chronic underinvestment and left Queensland communities to deal with roads that became unsafe or impassable in poor weather – disrupting school runs, delaying freight, and creating longer travel times and uncertainty during the wet season.
The Crisafulli Government and Maranoa Regional Council jointly funded the project to improve connectivity, build economic resilience and enhance road safety for this strategic freight and access route between Surat, Yuleba and the Condamine Highway connections.
The upgrade will significantly improve the condition of the key corridor, promote consistent speed and more predictable travel conditions, and improve driver safety.
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg celebrated the progress of Yuleba-Surat Road upgrade.
“Rural communities are benefitting from the $100 million Country Roads Connect Program, as sealing roads will boost resilience, improve productivity and keep communities connected via the regional road network,” Minister Mickelberg said.
“This is a perfect example of the Crisafulli Government getting on with the job to reverse Labor’s decade of decline and deliver the investment regional communities actually deserve.
“We’re delivering on our election commitment aimed at improving resilience and safety in regional communities by sealing key regional access roads.
“I look forward to seeing more projects across the state deliver lasting benefits for regional Queensland.”
Member for Warrego Ann Leahy said the upgrade highlights the Crisafulli Government’s commitment to fixing Labor’s failures in the region.
“After a decade of Labor, regional communities were literally left in the dust, driving on unsealed roads that held back safety, productivity and growth,” Minister Leahy said.
“We are getting on with sealing these roads, improving reliability and making sure regional Queensland has the infrastructure it needs to thrive.”
Maranoa Regional Council Mayor Wendy Taylor said communities across the region had been very clear they wanted to see more local roads sealed, and projects like this showed what could be achieved when Council and the Queensland Government worked together.
“Yuleba-Surat Road is a key route for local residents, freight operators, emergency services and visitors, so improving the road makes travel safer, smoother and more reliable for everyone using it,” Mayor Taylor said.
”Council is proud to be partnering with the Queensland Government through the Country Roads Connect Program to continue delivering better road infrastructure across the Maranoa.”
