Bundaberg Regional Council has commenced stage two of a road widening project to improve safety on Birthamba Road, South Kolan.
This next stage of roadworks is a continuation of the safety improvements along Birthamba Road undertaken by Council last year.
Stage two covers a 2.3 km stretch of the road, from the intersection with Raines Road.
The project will provide important safety enhancements including skid resistance and delineation improvements.
The road widening will also create a more forgiving roadside environment by removing several roadside hazards.
Bundaberg Regional Council Roads and Drainage portfolio spokesperson Councillor Bill Trevor said widening the road would reduce the likelihood of head-on and run-off road crashes.
“There have been three run-off road crashes within a five-year period at one of the horizontal curves,” Cr Trevor said.
“This is one of the busiest sections of the road and widening it to 8 m will significantly improve the safety of all road users.
“Improvement works at the location have been accelerated after Council successfully obtained funding from the Australian Government.”
Works will be undertaken between 6 am and 5 pm on weekdays, and are anticipated to be completed within five months, weather and unforeseen delays permitting.
During construction, sections of the road will be subject to traffic management measures, with appropriate signage in place to guide motorists.
The site supervisor will liaise directly with affected residents to facilitate property access during the roadworks period.
Bundaberg Regional Council is aware of the inconvenience construction work can cause, and thanks residents and road users for their patience and cooperation.
Stage two works are expected to cost approximately $2 million.
The Black Spot Safety Works are funded through the Australian Government's Black Spot Program that provides funding for low-cost, high-benefit improvements on road locations with historically high crash rates or identified safety issues.
The Australian Government's Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program has provided $1 million towards the project.
