Southern corridor upgrades

FROM PAGE 1 ing has changed and now is the time for action you can believe in,” he said.

Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the new highway would “future-proof this section of the Cairns Southern Access Corridor for years to come”.

State Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said the overpass would enable motorists’ safe access to the highway when travelling north to Cairns or south to Gordonvale, as well as access to the east or west without needing to interact with Bruce Highway traffic.

Construction of the 10.5km section of newly duplicated and upgraded Bruce Highway between Edmonton to Gordonvale – the busiest two-lane section of Bruce Highway between Cairns and Brisbane – began in May 2020.

Mr Tickner said he had proven his ability to develop a plan of action and drive the plan to results, and his undertaking as a division 2 councillor would be no different.

He said he had a plan of action to focus on service delivery, cost of living and youth crime.

Mr Lippingwell announced his candidacy last week. While he is a ALP member he is running as an independent.

As well as pushing for a rates freeze to help with cost of living pressures, Mr Lippingwell listed his other key priority as fighting the crime crisis. a payment arrangement.

“We desperately need a CCTV network installed along the Southside’s crime corridors, which can be accessed by police in real time and deter perpetrators,” he said. “Many parts of the division are also poorly lit, which makes it easier for offenders to move about undetected. Mr Lippingwell will also be lobbying for reinstituting free green waste vouchers leading up to cyclone season, more off lead dog parks and better sporting facilities.

More than 200 million hours of work has been undertaken on the project and involved more than 300 local suppliers and contractors.

The $535 million Edmonton to Gordonvale project is funded by the Australian and Queensland governments under the Bruce Highway Upgrade Program, with the Australian Government committing $428.01 million and the Queensland Government $106.99 million.

The project will fully open to motorists by the end of August 2023, with remaining minor works to be completed in September 2023.

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Driver Reviver is a winner

l CASSOWARY COAST

| Isaac Colman

INNISFAIL’S Driver Reviver site has received a top award for its service.

The Allan McCormac Award is handed out annually to a Driver Reviver site which best seeks solutions to challenges, overcomes adversity or acts above and beyond service requirements.

Site coordinator Michael Sands said he was “blown away” by the award. “It was a wonderful acknowledgement,” he said.

Mr Sands credited the team of volunteers for their efforts.

“I’ve always been a giving person. I can talk to all walks of life, and I don’t judge people. All my volunteers are pretty much like that too, they never let you down. They’re just wonderful people. You can ask them to be here at the drop of a hat and they’re there,” he said.

As well as being beneficial to the local community, Driver Reviver plays a huge role of being along a popular grey nomad caravan route to areas further north.

“We have slowly started to get back a lot of the backpackers too, and they are amazed at Driver Reviver. Nowhere else in the world has anything like it. They’re just blown away.”