For some time, Gladstone City Council in Queensland has foreseen the need for a Strategic Ring Road, and has planned to ensure a future corridor is available for such a development. Private consulting firm, Graham Scott and Associates Pty Ltd, were commissioned to provide a planning report and detailed design.
Heavy industrial traffic, associated with the Port of Gladstone and various industrial areas, currently travel through the central city area. The proposed Ring Road on the western side of the city will enable this traffic to by pass city roads. An 800 metre long section will ultimately become a Strategic Ring Road Link on the western side of the City of Gladstone.
The project will involve the crossing of several lots of railtracks, including a busy main line. Planning for level crossings in a complex and expanding road/rail network involved extensive consultation with Queensland Rail.
It was important to design a rail/road interaction that met both Council and Queensland Rail criteria, and minimised costs. Negotiations with Queensland Rail staff resulted in appropriate clearance requirements being developed for electric overhead wiring, signalling and communications.
Graham Scott and Associates’, Senior Civil Engineer, Bartin Carseldine, said the new road will provide an easier passage of goods by road, in and out of the ports.
“Major industrial companies will benefit from the improved efficiency of transport, as there will be less hazards, due to improved safety,” he said.
The estimated cost of the project is $3-3.5 million. Funding for this project is beyond Council’s resources, so external funding from State and Federal sources has been sought. Communication between Council, Queensland Rail and other authorities have considerably facilitated the planning, design and funding processes.
