Centenary Highway extension opens

Premier Anna Bligh attended the opening of the new Centenary Highway extension.

Photo: Kelly Daniels

ON Monday morning the first cars hit the new bitumen on the Centenary Highway extension, amid high hopes it will ease the traffic congestion on the Ipswich Motorway.

The 18-kilometre extension of the two-lane Centenary Highway opened this week, and was officially marked with a special community event on Sunday.

More than 1000 community members attended the open day, with Premier Anna Bligh also in attendance.

Ms Bligh said she was delighted to announce the $366 million extension was finished on time, on budget and well ahead of forecasted traffic demand.

“Over the course of this project, an average of 1038 direct and indirect jobs were created and there has been a real sense of excitement about the completion of this vital piece of infrastructure amongst the community here,” she said.

“This extension will have immediate benefits for motorists in the Springfield and southern Ipswich areas, but it has also been designed to accommodate future growth by providing regional links to a number of major developments in the Western corridor.

“The link between Springfield and Yamanto will immediately take vehicles off the Ipswich Motorway and save motorists about 15 to 20 minutes in travel time for those who travel between these thriving communities.”

Ms Bligh said the infrastructure would improve the standard of living for communities in the region by providing easier and more reliable access to main centres, as well as encouraging future prosperity in the southern Ipswich region.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the opening was a great day for south-east Queensland.

“The City of Ipswich is prepared to share the load, this road will enable more people to live here and put less pressure on the capital,” he said.

To kick off the opening, Ms Bligh also announced the new names of five bridges that form part of the newly opened Centenary Highway extension.

The newly named bridges are Coalstars, Lloyd Bird, Aussie Philipsen and Deebing Creek Mission bridges.

The fifth bridge will be named the Boxflat Bridge, to commemorate the 17 miners who lost their lives in a gas explosion at the Boxflat number five mine in July 1972, and another man who died of injuries at Box Flat some months later.