The troubled Petrie roundabout will get a $30 million upgrade by 2020 to make way for the extra traffic the University of Sunshine Coast campus will bring.
A well-known traffic snarl, the roundabout intersects Anzac Avenue, Dayboro Road and Gympie Road, with design and engineering work already underway on the upgrade.
The roundabout itself will likely be reconfigured as a T-intersection, but community members will have the opportunity to provide input during the design phase.
Mt Maria College Petrie Business Manager Deborah Rheumer says she is looking forward to the roundabout revamp on a personal and professional level.
“Even on my way to work I have to take backstreets to avoid coming down there,” Ms Rheumer says.
“We are hoping the changes to the roundabout will help to fix up some of the congestion on the Kallangur end too.
“Parents can’t even manage to turn right into our street to get their kids to school. It’s long overdue.”
The roundabout was declared a “priority development area” by the Palaszczuk Government after it was announced the creation of the Petrie campus of University of Sunshine Coast would deliver 6,000 ongoing jobs.
With 10,000 student placements expected to be on offer - that’s a lot more traffic for the suburb.
Member for Kurwongbah Shane King says the upgrade will be completed in time to meet the traffic demands of the new campus, which is tipped to bring $950 million in economic benefit to the region.
“Importantly, this project will improve safety and connectivity in Petrie and reduce delays during peak periods,” Mr King says. “It will also reduce traffic queues and crash risk.
“We know that knowledge-based projects like this (University) can deliver huge economic benefits for local communities by driving jobs growth in higher education, research, science and commercial sectors.”
A University of Sunshine Coast spokesperson told Feature Magazine the university is, “happy to see improvements to transport systems, as these will assist people in getting to and from our new USC Moreton Bay campus.”
But for some local businesses, the uncertainty surrounding the upgrade and its related works is causing tense times.
Mel Howe from Sister 2 Sister hairdressing at 20 Dayboro Road has been told road widening could force her to leave her current location.
“I did know that any roadworks changes could impact my ability to stay at this location in the long run, but it is a worry as a business owner,” Ms Howe says.
“It’s a wait and see approach for us as we don’t know if we’ll be directly affected yet, but I am worried, I am definitely worried. We want to stay where we are.”
Member for Murrumba Steven Miles says upgrading the intersection will improve safety and travel times for the community.
“So many people use this roundabout every day, to get to work or drop their kids off at school,” Mr Miles says. “This upgrade will mean less time in the car and more time at home.”
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey says $22.5 million construction funding is in addition to $7.5 million already committed for detailed design and property acquisitions.
Further investigations into land requirements and consultation with key stakeholders, Moreton Bay Regional Council and directly affected property owners and businesses will continue in preparation for the heavy works.