The Federal Government is set to provide $17.4 million to add and improve safety measures at 31 known motor accident hot spots across Queensland, as part of the 2024-25 Black Spot Program.
The program funds a range of safety measures at locations where serious crashes have occurred or are at risk of occurring.
These include improved lighting and line marking, installing traffic lights or roundabouts and measures to protect vulnerable road users.
The Queensland Government said that it has been another devastating year on Queensland’s roads, with 296 people dying in the 12 months to April.
These 31 Black Spot projects will make an important contribution towards reducing serious injuries and deaths on Queensland local roads and build on previous investments across the state.
In the 2024-25 Budget, funding has increased substantially for the Black Spot Program, progressively rising from $110 million to $150 million per year, along with a funding boost for other local road infrastructure programs.
The government is also providing $21.2 million over six years from 2024-25 to harmonise and improve the reporting of national road safety data via the National Road Safety Data Hub.
Black Spot Consultative Panels provide the opportunity for stakeholders to have a say in the project selection process and ensure that nominations of the highest priority and importance to the local community are recommended for approval.
The Queensland review panel includes representatives from a broad range of organisations representing road users, local and state government, law enforcement, engineers, and traffic management and road safety experts.
Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Carol Brown, said that she is pleased to announce this latest round of Black Spot projects in Queensland, which will improve roads across the state.
“Every death on Queensland’s roads is a tragedy and could have been avoided,” Ms Brown said.
“Road safety is a shared responsibility, and we all have our part to play to keep each other safe.”
“With the recent announcement of our increased commitment to this long-running program, I strongly encourage individuals, organisations and local governments to nominate sites in their local communities for consideration in the next round of funding.”
“The government is committed to improving road safety across Australia, to ensure that Australians get home safely.”
Federal Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said that this funding will save lives here in the community and right across Queensland.
“Our Budget and our economic plan is all about taking care of Queenslanders with cost of living relief for every household and big investments in local infrastructure,” Mr Chalmers said.
“Our big investment in local roads will help people get home sooner and safer.
“From Logan to the Lockyer Valley, Mackay to Moreton, Toowoomba, Townsville, Cairns, the Sunshine Coast, the Cassowary Coast and the Fraser Coast – we’re fixing up roads right across the state to make motorists safer.”
Chair of the Queensland Black Spot Consultative Panel, Shayne Neumann, said that as a big state with a big road network, Queensland will be a big winner from this funding boost in the coming Budget.
“We will work with the Queensland Government and local councils to roll out these projects across the state, and we will continue to stand up for Queensland and make sure that we get our fair share of Black Spot funding,” Mr Neumann said.
“I would like to acknowledge the efforts of local councils who have nominated Black Spot projects for this funding round, such as Fraser Coast Regional Council, who are matching our funding commitment to install a roundabout in Nikenbah.”
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