Council
15 June, 2023
Youngs Crossing: State budget delivers $15m investment
CONSTRUCTION of the long-awaited Youngs Crossing Bridge received a $15 million boost in the Queensland State Budget.
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery thanked the State Government for delivering above the original pledge made at the 2021 Moreton Bay Leaders’ Forum, with an extra $5 million.
“This critical project will end decades of pain for Moreton Bay motorists by flood proofing Youngs Crossing Road against one in 100-year flooding events, and when water is released from the North Pine Dam upstream,” Mayor Flannery said.
“The start of these works will be a landmark moment as the largest infrastructure project delivered by Council in our history.
“I want to recognise the efforts of the Member for Dickson, Peter Dutton MP, who secured the $32.75 million in federal funding to make this a reality, an investment that will support 500 jobs locally.
“I also want to thank the State members who successfully championed the project for today’s $15 million boost. This is a demonstration of Council’s ability and desire to work with all levels of government to deliver for our community.
“Which is good, because we’re going to need many more major investments like this to ensure Moreton Bay’s infrastructure keeps pace with the population growth we’re experiencing.
“More than 10,000 people are moving to Moreton Bay every year and that’s not slowing down.
“We all know there aren’t enough crossings of the North Pine River.
“One of the most crippling chokepoints in SEQ’s road network is on the Bruce Highway over the North Pine River, so adding a second crossing would not only benefit the daily lives of commuters but also improve the efficiency of transport and logistics on the national freight network.
“TMR could gazette the next stage of the Bruce Highway Western Alternative tomorrow and that absolutely has to happen before construction on the new city of Waraba (Caboolture West) can start development.
“And we will continue advocating the need for an urgent fix to congestion on the Bruce Highway, especially at North Lakes, because there are pinch points that bottleneck every day and it can’t continue.”
Council will pay for the balance of the Youngs Crossing Bridge project.
