The state Opposition has launched a petition calling on the government to address a congested main road in a growing area.
The LNP candidate for Caloundra Kendall Morton joined deputy leader of the LNP and Member for Kawana Jarood Bleijie to urge the powers-that-be to upgrade Caloundra Road as soon as possible.
But the government said it was working on relieving congestion and it was committed to planning upgrades.
Ms Morton said residents were tired of the traffic jams and she encouraged them to sign the petition.
“When I speak to locals, their number one issue is dealing with the daily nightmare of Caloundra Road,” she said.
“Whether they are on their daily commute to work, trying to do the school run, heading to the beach or even just ducking to the shops, getting around Caloundra is challenging at the best of times and even worse during holiday periods.
“It’s time for Caloundra to come together and use people power to finally fix Caloundra Road,” she said.
But a Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said the government was working to “reduce congestion and improve travel times and safety”.
They said some pavement recovery had already occurred on the road, further resurfacing was being done now, and there was a commitment for upgrades to one of the thoroughfare’s main roundabouts.
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The road carries about 35,000 vehicles per day, around the Parklands Boulevard-Pierce Avenue section.
Mr Bleijie said residents of Caloundra were being short-changed while the government committed vital funds to other road projects in South-East Queensland, including the Coomera Connector, which is set to cost $864 million more than initially expected.
“Labor’s habit of budget blowouts is costing communities like Caloundra the infrastructure they desperately need,” he said via a press release.
He said the government had delayed and scrapped local road projects, instead of enhancing the network.
“We know the population in Caloundra is expected to grow faster than anywhere else on the Sunshine Coast and instead of doing the work to deliver congestion-busting solutions, the government have delivered a decade of delays and cuts,” he said.
“Labor is about to make things even worse by cutting short the Sunshine Coast heavy passenger rail project from Beerwah to Maroochydore and ending the line in Caloundra, turning our community into a car park.
“Labor have also cut the long-awaited Mooloolah River Interchange project and cut funding for even the most minor road project that would provide an alternative entry into the Caloundra CBD from Nicklin Way.
“The Sunshine Coast deserves better than the delays, half-baked promises and road funding cuts.”
But the TMR spokesperson said the government had several initiatives – planned, underway and completed – to improve local transport in and around Caloundra.
“A business case is being prepared to replace the Caloundra Road, Bells Creek Arterial Road and Kawana Way Link Road roundabout with a signalised intersection as part of staged upgrades,” they said.
“This will reduce congestion and improve travel times and safety.
“Stage one will be compatible with the longer-term upgrade to a grade-separated interchange.
“The Queensland Government has (also) committed to planning for future upgrades to the Caloundra Road, Nicklin Way and Pelican Waters Boulevard intersection. The planning is expected to begin in early 2025.
“In addition, we undertook pavement rehabilitation, in 2022, on Caloundra Road from the Caloundra Road, Nicklin Way and Pelican Waters Boulevard intersection to Bulcock Street, to improve the road surface.
“Further rehabilitation and resurfacing works are underway between Little Mountain and Caloundra. These works include repairing the guardrails at the Duck Holes Creek, near Industrial Avenue on Caloundra Road.”
The government is also planning a multi-modal approach to meet the growing needs of the southern Sunshine Coast area.
A business case will be completed this year for the Kawana Motorway, which will provide a direct connection between Parrearra and Meridan Plains, parallel to Kawana Way.
This will form part of a new north-south intra-regional motorway spine that will run from the Bruce Highway, along Bells Creek Arterial Road, to the Sunshine Motorway.
They are also planning the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line.
Stage one of the DSCRL will provide new dual-track rail lines between Beerwah and Caloundra, with new stations planned at Caloundra South (Aura) and Caloundra.
The project is also set to include an enhanced bus network across the southern Sunshine Coast region, which would link to rail stations, along with upgrades to active transport facilities.
The rail line from Beerwah to Caloundra is set to be completed by 2032 and the government expects it will essentially remove about 1300 car trips from the local road network per day.
The government has committed $2.75 billion towards delivering stage one of the rail line, subject to a 50:50 funding contribution from the Australian Government.
The state political debate over Caloundra roads comes as federal MP Andrew Wallace lamented “dithering and delays” by state and federal governments in relation to transport infrastructure on the southern Sunshine Coast.
He said they had failed to adequately address congested roads.
“The Sunshine Coast deserves better than empty promises and political gamesmanship,” he said.
“Withholding funding and failing to deliver on previous commitments is a slap in the face to residents who face daily gridlock.”
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