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More media can be found in the Media Watch section of the Traveston Swamp Forum and in the Archives.
Entries in Highway Bypass (29)
No dam but the earth moves anyway
stevem
in "Don't you worry about that", Bill Hoffman, Costs, Environmental, Highway Bypass
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FIVE million cubic metres of earth are being shifted to to make way for stage one of the Bruce Highway deviation, north of Cooroy. But the state government claims the big move was not made necessary by planning for the Traveston Crossing Dam. However, as heavy earthmoving equipment continues to dramatically alter once familiar geographic features, that claim has been disputed by residents, politicians and the government’s own documents. Behind Federal State School, a huge hill consisting of one million cubic metres of earth is being reshaped to take a route which would have skirted the dam’s eastern buffer if it had gone ahead. Work on the $613 million, 12km section from Sankeys Road to Traveston Road started in earnest only six weeks before federal environment minister Peter Garrett ruled the dam could not be built.
Highway is a new blow for Mary Valley residents
stevem
in Environmental Impact Statement, Highway Bypass, Local Stress
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DOZENS of families affected by the proposed Traveston Dam will not be able to buy back their properties because they are about to get a major highway through their yards. The Bruce Highway was realigned to incorporate the two stages of the proposed $1.7 billion dam project, with Main Roads turning the first sod in September. Anti-dam activists Alan and Jane Sheridan owned a 13ha property at Federal, near Gympie. They sold it to the State Government in 2007 for $1.2 million and leased it back - but now graders are working just 200m from the kitchen window. “We were hit by a double whammy: the dam and the highway,” Mrs Sheridan said yesterday. “The decision last week was a bittersweet victory. We were so happy they decided to not go ahead with the dam, but it is too late as far as the roadworks are concerned.” The Sheridans say they would have bought back their property - but the highway realignment left them with no choice but to move on.
Cooroy to Curra death stats revealed
stevem
in Dave Gibson, Highway Bypass
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Early works for upgrades to the notorious Cooroy to Curra section of the Bruce Highway started on Monday, June 29 and it appears they could not have started soon enough. Documents tabled in Queensland parliament in June by main roads minister Craig Wallace show the 64km stretch of the highway, familiar to emergency service workers throughout the region, has been the scene of 56 deaths in nine years. As well as the loss of life, 295 people have been hospitalised with injuries following 840 crashes between 2000 and 2008.
Bruce Hwy funds 'not enough'
stevem
in Costs, Highway Bypass, Kevin Rudd, Population Growth
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He said the recent funding announcement from the Federal Government budget was good but considering it was only a small part of the $6.2 billion needed to upgrade the whole Cooroy to Curra stretch, it was a little disappointing. “Obviously after a lot of campaigning over a number of years it is a step in the right direction and an admittance that something needs to be done,” he said. “Maybe the Queensland Government will now contribute something to towards it. But it’s hard in today’s economic climate.” He said despite lots of awareness about how unforgiving the Bruce Highway is, driver attitude doesn’t seem to change.
PM vows action on 'valley of death'
stevem
in Costs, Highway Bypass, Kevin Rudd
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INTO the “Valley of Death” at Federal rode the Prime Minister, the Treasurer, the Transport Minister and the their conscience - Gympie ambulance boss Wayne Sachs. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s surprise whistle stop yesterday was something much bigger than a 12km Bruce Highway quick fix of what Mr Sachs labels the deadliest road in the country - and he has a shocking scrap book of fatal call-outs to prove it. It was his self-funded flight to Canberra to implore Transport Minister Anthony Albanese to take action that finally galvanised the Rudd Government into action. Flanked by a smiling but muted Treasurer Wayne Swan, Mr Albanese and Mr Sachs, Mr Rudd had come to the mountain where a section of the $613 million Sankeys Road to Traveston Road four-lane upgrade will go.
Highway upgrade skirts dam site
stevem
in "Don't you worry about that", Costs, Environmental Impact Statement, Highway Bypass, Kevin Rudd
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PAUL Neville says he’s watching any Traveston Crossing dam developments “like a hawk”. He’s concerned “something a bit sinister” is going on behind Labor government doors. The Member for Hinkler’s comments follow the Federal budget announcement of $488 million dollars for upgrades to the Cooroy to Curra stretch of the Bruce Highway. That’s despite the State Government promising $200 million for the stretch before the election in March, Mr Neville says. “It’s a bit funny because the State Government only a few months ago promised funding.” Also raising red flags is the decision for the upgrades to be carried out on a stretch of road that skirts the edge of the proposed site of the dam. “Are they softening everyone up for the Traveston dam?” The Nationals MP wants the Federal Government to answer a few questions.
More of the same will ruin our future
stevem
in "Don't you worry about that", Bill Hoffman, Environmental, Highway Bypass, Local Stress, PAGE, Population Growth, Power and Energy, Support, Water Grid
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Each week emails flow into my inbox from people whose expectations for the future are being adversely affected by the impacts of growth. Whether it be those trying to ward off the ill-conceived Traveston Crossing Dam, those in the path of Powerlink’s one-track energy delivery system, those awaiting the rollout of the northern pipeline to the proposed dam or the drive of rail duplication from the south, all are learning the vulnerability of dreams. We seem to be always making way for a future about which we have no say and whose impact is delivered at the stroke of a pen wielded by someone over whom we have no influence. There seems little commitment to the present. Community consultation is an expensive farce not driven by any genuine desire to solicit and consider the views of those impacted. People in the process of fulfilling long-held dreams through the commitment to long-term loans are too easily dismissed by the process as NIMBYs.
'Stop the Carnage' group grows
stevem
in Highway Bypass, Local Stress
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COMMENTS continue to pour into Anthony Heffernan’s internet Facebook group, Upgrade the Bruce Highway to four lanes. People touched by the death and injury on the Cooroy to Curra stretch of the national highway have taken the time to make a cyber statement and they now number in the thousands. Late yesterday afternoon the group had reached more than 2070 members. The Gympie Times is asking readers to use ‘people power’ and get behind the Stop the Carnage campaign. To join Anthony’s group go to his Facebook Stop the Carnage page.
Senate Estimates Committee - Traveston
stevem
in Environmental Impact Statement, Highway Bypass, Oh No!, Peter Garrett, Senate Inquiry
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The Federal Senate are currently conducting their budget estimates reviews. Some interesting snippets re: Traveston Crossing Dam have arisen (thanks to Sen. Ian MacDonald) and I understand there are more to come.
Cooroy to Curra toll now 54
“Jesus helps people, walks on water and turns it to wine himself.
Beattie helps himself, walks on people and turns whines about water.”
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