Tag: Queensland transport

Queensland Funds Safety Upgrades in Moreton Bay Under School Transport Program

Queensland has confirmed targeted funding for road-safety works at four state school precincts in the Moreton Bay area as part of this year’s School Transport Infrastructure Program. 

Read: Deception Bay School Awarded $10K for Percussion Expansion

The package totals $697,000 locally, allocated to Dakabin State High School ($260,000), Burpengary Meadows State School ($147,000), Strathpine West State School ($185,000) and North Lakes State College ($105,000). 

The four sites are listed within a statewide $2.3 million round covering 21 projects announced on 6 June 2025. 

Program Context

The School Transport Infrastructure Program provides grants for practical fixes that make arriving and leaving school safer and smoother—such as new or reconfigured drop-off zones, bus set-down areas, pedestrian links and fencing, and intersection improvements. Typical projects include carpark upgrades, construction of stop-drop-and-go facilities, bus stops and footpaths. 

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Documents also indicate complementary works in the vicinity of Dakabin State High School, including a children’s crossing treatment on Marsden Road listed in the City of Moreton Bay’s 2025–26 budget highlights for Divisions 7–9. While the Council line-item does not set out the state school grant scope, it shows local alignment on school-area safety. 

How This Fits With Other Safety Measures

Transport and Main Roads notes that STIP sits alongside ongoing programs including flashing school zone signs and the School Crossing Supervisor Scheme. Background guidance on these measures—and how the signs operate—appears on the state’s transport site. The crossing-supervisor scheme marked its 40th year in 2024, with more than 2,000 supervisors managing over 1,300 crossings at 700-plus schools; TMR reports no fatalities at supervised crossings since 1984. 

Each school sets local arrangements while works progress. North Lakes State College, for example, maintains guidance for parents on parking locations and its “LookOut” drive-through pick-up service on Joyner Circuit. Families at nearby schools can check their school pages for current drop-off maps and transport links. 

Read: State-of-the-Art Basketball Facility with NBA-Grade Tech to Open in North Lakes

Accountability and Timing

The announcement forms part of a broader road-safety and infrastructure program for 2025–26, with further detail on capital programs contained in current budget papers and ministerial statements. Schedule and construction windows for individual school sites will be confirmed through TMR and council channels as designs progress and contractors are engaged.

Published 21-Aug-2025

Plans Progress for Bruce Highway Upgrade in North Lakes Corridor

North Lakes is in line for significant traffic relief as part of a major upgrade to the Bruce Highway, with new plans confirming additional lanes and major redesigns across one of Queensland’s busiest road corridors. The project spans 18.8 kilometres between Anzac Avenue and Caboolture–Bribie Island Road and is set to change how residents and local traffic move in and out of Brisbane’s north.

Read: Infrastructure and Services Expansion in North Lakes, Dakabin and Deception Bay

This stretch of the Bruce Highway forms a crucial link between North Lakes and regional centres to the north, but it’s become increasingly congested during peak travel times. With the area’s population continuing to grow, especially around Moreton Bay, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has outlined a plan to not only increase lane capacity but also build new road features that support safer and more efficient travel for both locals and long-distance drivers.

Plans to Widen the Highway and Separate Local Traffic

The most immediate changes will take place between Anzac Avenue and Uhlmann Road, where the highway will be expanded from three to four lanes in each direction. This section will see new lanes added in the central median, along with the upgrade or replacement of nearby overpasses to accommodate the wider footprint.

North of Uhlmann Road, rather than continuing to add lanes to the main highway, the project will introduce new one-way collector-distributor roads along both sides. These roads are designed to handle local traffic movements — such as trips to interchanges or nearby service centres — while allowing highway traffic to keep moving without interference.

This approach was chosen after studies found that simply widening the highway near North Lakes would not solve the problem due to the number of existing interchanges in close range. The new parallel roads will help reduce congestion, particularly in areas where traffic frequently merges or exits, such as around Buchanan Road and Caboolture–Bribie Island Road.

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Feedback from the North Lakes Community

When TMR called for feedback between October and November 2023, residents from North Lakes and surrounding suburbs voiced both support and concerns. Many welcomed the plan to expand the highway and appreciated the attempt to separate local trips from long-distance ones. At the same time, some questioned whether the shift back to three lanes near Uhlmann Road might cause new delays.

People also raised concerns about the impact of construction, including how long the work would take, whether it would overlap with other roadworks in the area, and how detours might affect their day-to-day travel. A key issue raised was the potential need for property resumptions in some neighbourhoods, particularly if collector-distributor roads were to run close to homes or businesses.

Other feedback focused on improving the experience of pedestrians and cyclists. Residents asked for better lighting, wider paths, and separate lanes for bikes and walkers, especially near overpasses and crossings. Environmental concerns were also flagged, with requests for TMR to minimise the loss of vegetation and ensure wildlife corridors are considered in the design.

Government Investment and Timeline

The project is being backed by a combined $34 million in planning funds from the Australian and Queensland governments. Of this, $12 million has been committed specifically to the Anzac Avenue to Uhlmann Road section, with another $733 million allocated for the delivery of major works along this same segment.

According to TMR, business case development is currently underway, with more detailed designs expected by 2026. Early works, including geotechnical investigations and property assessments, are already in progress. Construction is not yet scheduled, but it will begin after the design phase and following further consultation with landowners and local councils.

Feedback on the preferred solution remains open until 14 September 2025. TMR has urged anyone who lives, works or travels through the corridor — including those from North Lakes — to get involved by sharing their thoughts via the project’s online feedback portal or by contacting the project team directly.

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A Road Plan That Aims to Keep Pace with Growth

With suburbs like North Lakes continuing to grow, the pressure on the Bruce Highway is expected to intensify in the years ahead. The current upgrade is part of a broader strategy to prepare for that growth while addressing the traffic frustrations many residents already face.

Read: Youngs Crossing Set for Major Upgrade to End Years of Flood Disruption

Published 17-July-2025