DELIVER A SECOND RIVER CROSSING IN IPSWICH CENTRAL TO TRANSFORM MOVEMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS IPSWICH
A multi-modal flood-immune second river crossing in Ipswich Central will future-proof the inner-city road network against population growth, increasing flood risk and unsafe driving conditions due to increasing congestion. A second river crossing will support connectivity, inner-city revitalisation, and economic development by providing an alternative route for through traffic. A second river crossing is integral to enabling Ipswich Central to fulfil its roles as a Principal Regional Activity Centre.
Ipswich Central Second River Crossing Factsheet (PDF, 1.8 MB)
COMMITMENT REQUIRED
$4 million is required to progress the Ipswich Central Second River Crossing to shovel-ready status by further developing the preferred option in a Detailed Business Case.
About the Ipswich Central Second River Crossing project
Why is this project important?
Benefits to Ipswich:
- Unlocks bottleneck and improves road safety
- Provides safe, flood-immune connectivity across the city
- Facilitates public and active transport connectivity
- Enables Ipswich Central to fulfil its role as economic centre
- Improves cross-river connectivity and permeability.
Benefits to South East Queensland:
- Disperse congestion
- Strengthen regional road network efficiency and resilience
- Improve road safety
- Provide a flood-immune crossing
- Support economic productivity
- Supports national highway diversion routes
- Leverage $250M investment in Ipswich Central.
If we do nothing:
- Excessive congestion will cost the economy $70m p.a. in 2036
- Higher than average avoidable crash rates will persist, costing $18m p.a. in 2036
- Network failure during incidents and flooding
- Local businesses will continue to suffer from congestion and amenity impacts.
Success to date
Council delivered the Strategic Assessment (Stage 1: Business Case) and Preliminary Business Case (Stage 2: Business Case) for this project in 2017 and 2020. These investigations identified a second river crossing to be the preferred solution to congestion in Ipswich Central, and to support the redevelopment of the Ipswich City Centre to be a vibrant and prosperous Principal Regional Activity Centre. Earlier feasibility studies were delivered with the support of the Queensland Government.
This project is under consideration for inclusion on Infrastructure Australia's Infrastructure Priority List.
What's next
This project achieved the following milestones:
- Strategic Business Case/Stage 1 Business Case (completed 2017)
- Preliminary Business Case/Stage 2 Business Case (completed 2020)
- Infrastructure Australia Infrastructure Priority List inclusion.
Current steps are:
- Funding commitment secured from Federal Government (in process)
- Funding commitment secured from State Government (in process).
Future milestones are:
- Options Analysis/Stage 2 Business Case
- Funding commitment for next phase
- Detailed Business Case
- Funding secured for construction
- Construction
- Operation.