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DELIVER A SECOND RIVER CROSSING IN IPSWICH CENTRAL TO TRANSFORM MOVEMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS IPSWICH

A multi-modal second river crossing in Ipswich Central will future-proof the inner-city road network against population growth, as well as reduce flood risk, improve driving conditions and reduce congestion. It will support connectivity, inner-city revitalisation, and economic development by providing an alternative route for through traffic. This is key to ensuring that Ipswich Central can continue to function as the city’s main activity centre.

Ipswich Central Second River Crossing Factsheet (PDF, 1.8 MB)

COMMITMENT REQUIRED

$4 million is required to progress the Ipswich Central Second River Crossing to shovel-ready status by further developing the preferred option in a Detailed Business Case.

About the Ipswich Central Second River Crossing project

Why is this project important?

Benefits to Ipswich:

  • Unlocks bottleneck and improves road safety
  • Provides safe, flood-immune connectivity across the city
  • Facilitates public and active transport connectivity
  • Enables Ipswich Central to fulfil its role as economic centre
  • Improves cross-river connectivity and permeability.

Benefits to South East Queensland:

  • Disperse congestion
  • Strengthen regional road network efficiency and resilience
  • Improve road safety
  • Provide a flood-immune crossing
  • Support economic productivity
  • Supports national highway diversion routes
  • Leverage $300 million investment in Ipswich Central.

If we do nothing:

  • Excessive congestion will cost the economy $70 million p.a. in 2036
  • Higher than average avoidable crash rates will persist, costing $18 million p.a. in 2036
  • Network failure during incidents and flooding
  • Local businesses will continue to suffer from congestion and amenity impacts.

Success to date

  • Council delivered the Strategic Assessment (Stage 1: Business Case) in 2017 and Preliminary Business Case (Stage 2: Business Case) for this project in 2020, which was revised in 2023. These investigations identified a second river crossing to be the preferred solution to combating congestion in Ipswich Central and to further support the redevelopment of the Ipswich city centre to be a vibrant and prosperous principal regional activity centre. Earlier feasibility studies were delivered with the support of the Queensland Government.
  • The Ipswich Central Second River Crossing has been included on Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Priority List, as an early stage proposal.

What's next

This project achieved the following milestones:

  • Strategic Business Case/Stage 1 Business Case (completed 2017)
  • Preliminary Business Case/Stage 2 Business Case (completed 2020)
  • Infrastructure Australia Infrastructure Priority List inclusion.

Current steps are:

  • Advocating to State and Federal Government for funding commitments to support the progress of a Detailed Business Case.

Future milestones are:

  • Funding commitment for next phase
  • Detailed Business Case
  • Funding secured for construction
  • Construction
  • Operation.