The Rudd Labor Government has honoured its Budget pledge to provide Queensland with the money it needs to complete planning on the widening of the Gateway Motorway’s two ‘missing links’ by no later than June 2009.

In support of the Bligh Government’s efforts to ease traffic congestion in Brisbane and across the south east corner, we’ve provided them with $10 million to do this necessary work – topping up the $10 million already committed by the State.

Together we will look at how best to expand from four to six lanes the northern section of the Motorway between Nudgee Road and the Bruce Highway and the southern section between Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road and the Pacific Motorway.

This vital planning work cannot come soon enough: traffic on the northern section is expected to increase from 50,000 to 73,000 vehicles a day by 2012, while volume on the southern section is expected to jump from 72,000 to 94,000 vehicles.

Despite being a vital part of the national network, the Gateway Motorway was completely ignored for 12 years by the previous Howard Government.

We expect to complete planning work by the middle of next year.

In the meantime, we’ve set aside an initial $195 million for land acquisitions and final detailed design work.

Completion of these ‘missing links’ will complement the Bligh Government’s $1.88 billion project to duplicate the Gateway Bridge and widen the Motorway to six lanes between Nudgee Road and Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road.

For a large and rapidly growing state like Queensland, modern well-planned roads are essential. Such infrastructure prevents traffic congestion; cuts commute times; improves safety; supports export industries; and tackles harmful carbon emissions.