Airport Roundabout Upgrade Progressing Well

11 January 2010

Acting Premier Paul Lucas has inspected progress on the Queensland Government's Airport Roundabout Upgrade Project.

Mr Lucas said the congesting busting measures which add to the success of the new access road to Brisbane Airport with the latest figures showing a 16% reduction in morning traffic on the airport roundabout just one month after the new road opened.

"The new access road and these new Airtrain Services show just how hard the Government is working to fight congestion on this essential route into and out Queensland," he said.

"The measures we have taken are having a massive effect but the $325 million Airport Roundabout Upgrade Project will completely transform this journey."

A total of 50 massive bridge beams are now in place at the Airport Roundabout site.

The 80 tonne Super Ts - T-shaped concrete beams - are part of the new 180 metre Gateway Motorway overpass.

Work on the new 750 metre long east-west flyover is now underway. The flyover will enable motorists travelling to and from the Airport to drive over the top of the Gateway Motorway, bringing an end to congestion at the current intersection.

The Acting Premier said the Airport Roundabout Upgrade would improve traffic flow at one of the city's worst trouble spots.

"The installation of 50 Super T bridge beams, each weighing 80 tonnes and measuring 36 metres in length, is proof that change is coming," he said.

"The Super Ts were lifted into place progressively using a 280 tonne crawler crane during night works to lessen traffic impacts.

"Work on Airport Roundabout Upgrade began four months early and up to 200 people will be employed to construct the project," Mr Lucas said.

Infrastructure and Planning Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said The Airport Roundabout Upgrade Project involved replacing the existing roundabout and upgrading the intersection at East-West Arterial and Nudgee Roads to include:

• improved connections to the airport precinct, the Gateway Motorway and Kingsford Smith Drive
• widening of East-West Arterial Road to three traffic lanes in each direction
• replacing the existing Gateway Motorway overpass at the roundabout with a new four lane overpass
• replacing the existing roundabout with a high capacity 'fast diamond' signalised intersection
• constructing a new four lane 750 metre flyover bridge linking East-West Arterial Road with Airport Drive over the Gateway Motorway overpass; and
• surface road improvements to Airport Drive.

"The Super Ts were manufactured at Airport Link's Precast Facility on Brisbane's northside, which employs up to 150 workers and is creating a significant economic boost for the region," Minister Hinchliffe said.

"This is good news not just for motorists currently suffering long delays at the Airport Roundabout, but for hundreds of Queenslanders working as a result of the project."