Work is about to begin on a major Ipswich road project with the appointment by Ipswich City Council of a major works contractor for the project.
Deputy Mayor and Division 3 Councillor Victor Attwood said council had awarded a $7.78 million contract to Manly based firm BMD for the stage one works of the Redbank Plains Rd upgrade.
“Now that the contractor is on board this significant upgrade is getting underway,” he said.
Cr Attwood said a key component of the works would be the construction of a detention basin incorporating a stormwater harvesting wetland and vegetated inlet swales in Redbank Plains Recreation Reserve.
“These flood mitigation works are designed to improve the area’s flood immunity by reducing impacts of flooding to adjacent properties.
“This wetland area will be designed to capture stormwater and stop pollutants from entering nearby Goodna Creek and provide a significant proportion of irrigation water for the park reserve.
“These works will be the first harvesting wetland constructed by council and include approximately 67,000 new plants.”
Cr Attwood said the community was looking forward to this major project getting underway.
These works will help to further improve the road network in Redbank Plains and will complement works which have been completed during the past year by council further down the road.
“These works are vital as this road is used by 20,000 vehicles each day and is forecast to increase to approximately 27,000 vehicles per day by 2025.
“It is expected that major works will be completed by March 2016 with more than 140,000m3 of earth expected to be moved during the construction of these projects,” Cr Attwood said.
City Infrastructure Committee Chairperson Councillor Cheryl Bromage said the Redbank Plains Rd project involved upgrading the road from two lanes to four lanes over 800 metres between West St and Glen Fairlie Ave.
“Also included is the signalisation of two intersections at Cedar Rd and Henty Drive where the size of the turning lanes will be increased to better improve traffic movements in the area.
“Bike lanes will be incorporated along the full length of the upgraded section of road.
“As Redbank Plains Rd is a significant arterial road in Ipswich, the construction of this project will be staged to minimise impacts to through traffic.
“Temporary traffic control arrangements and short delays are to be expected at the intersections of adjacent roads.”
“It is expected that the work area will have a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h during the construction period.”
Cr Bromage said once completed these projects would create not only a traffic solution but also help to mitigate the effects of floodwaters in the local area.
She said the wetlands area to be created has been carefully designed by council using water sensitive urban design principles.
“It is hoped that this wetland area will become a haven for local wildlife and add to the aesthetics of the reserve.”
Cr Bromage said an area would also be set aside near the wetland area for a future training field.
The eastern end of the project will connect to developer funded road upgrade works in conjunction with the extension of the existing Redbank Plains Shopping Centre.