Centenary Highway Archives - Springfield Lakes

Community Fury Over Closure of Exit 33 on Centenary Highway

Springfield Lakes commuters are facing significant disruptions due to the ongoing closure of Exit 33 on the Centenary Highway. No firm reopening date is in sight, and community frustration is mounting over handling the situation.

Landslide Causes Major Disruption

Community Fury Over Exit 33 on Centenary Highway Closure — Photo Credit: Google Map

A significant landslide, which occurred on 16 January 2025, has severely impacted the on-ramp to Yamanto and created a safety hazard for the off-ramp from Brisbane at Exit 33. The slip has blocked access and raised concerns about further instability, especially with more rain predicted.

Transport and Main Roads Queensland (TMR) cannot provide a definitive timeline for reopening, stating it could be approximately two months, though this remains unconfirmed. They have indicated that the off-ramp from Brisbane might be reopened sooner, contingent on a safety assessment and site stabilisation.

Community Concerns and Lack of Communication

The extended closure has placed significant pressure on other exits and arterial roads, causing considerable delays for residents. Community members have expressed anger and frustration, with many claiming the landslide has been a known issue for years, with visible signs of deterioration in Google Images from early March 2024.

They criticise the perceived lack of action until the situation escalates to a full closure, suggesting that earlier intervention could have prevented the current crisis. Residents have also raised concerns about removing a right turn at a nearby exit, which they believe has worsened the traffic flow in the area. During the closure, there are calls for better signage to direct traffic to alternative routes.

Information Scarcity and Political Fallout

The difficulty obtaining clear information from TMR adds to the community’s frustration. The local State Member has reported being unable to receive updates on the situation, despite repeated attempts to contact the department.

They claim that this lack of communication stems from a new government directive restricting the flow of information to local representatives. This alleged political interference has drawn criticism, with the Member emphasising the practical, non-political nature of the information being sought.

The lack of clear, timely communication has further fueled community anger and uncertainty. The Member has stated they are continuing to pursue the issue with TMR. The status of the additional left turn lane at nearby Exit 32, originally slated for completion at the end of January, also remains unclear.

Published Date 06-Feb-2025

Centenary Highway Transport Options Upgrade in Springfield, Ipswich Now a Priority

The upgrade of transport options in Springfield and Ipswich, specifically on the Centenary Highway, was added among 44 proposals in the latest priority list of Infrastructure Australia.

Westbound of this 43-kilometre stretch, which is also known as the M5, was projected to increase by 400 percent as the population between Springfield and Ipswich is expected to grow from 222,000 to 558,000 residents in the next 20 years.

According to the priority list, the daily trips from Ipswich to Springfield Lakes on the Centenary Highway were at 7,500 in 2016 but it will increase to 40,000 trips by 2036 as job opportunities also increase.

Robin Jackson, the chief of Infrastructure Australia, said that the current public transport options in this area will not support the future needs of the suburbs. Currently, the drive from Ipswich to Springfield takes 32 minutes and bus rides take almost two hours on three routes.

Thus, the Ipswich City Council proposed adding bus networks to increase the frequency of services and coverage, as well as improving the existing roads and providing more public transport options.

On the state level, the Queensland Government has set out plans to fix 65 level crossings across the southeast by either building bridges or removing hazards. Road closures and restrictions are also in the proposal, with the Federal Government undertaking the following initiatives for the M5:

intersection and on-ramp and off-ramp improvements
implementing smart freeway technology
road widening

Centenary Highway Receives $893K Centre Line Treatment

Photo Credit: Shiftchange/Wikimedia Commons

In hopes of boosting motorist safety on Centenary Highway, the Department of Transport and Main Roads installed wide centre lines between Yamanto and Springfield Central.

The $893,000 project will lay out an additional separation between vehicles travelling in opposite directions, and also aims to reduce the potential for head-on crashes.

Works included installing wide centre line treatments with audio tactile lines and removing redundant line marking and installing new signs.

Centenary Highway, as one of the major junctions of the Centenary Motorway, serves more than 10,500 motorists per day. The latest RACQ’s Red Spot Congestion Survey named Centenary Motorway as the second most congested roads in Queensland.

In March 2019, a crash between a bus and seven vehicles caused traffic chaos on the highway. There were five reported physical injuries in the incident, with the two patients having sustained neck and back injuries.

Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard believes the new treatment will help save lives and reduce the trauma caused by crashes.

Ms Howard said these important works stretched along 15 kilometres, between the Cunningham Highway interchange in Yamanto, and Augusta Parkway Interchange in Springfield Central.

The works are part of the Palaszczuk Government’s $1.92 billion, four-year road safety infrastructure program.

The Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2018-19 to 2021-22 (QTRIP) details the current transport and road infrastructure projects that the Queensland Government plans to deliver over the next four years to meet the needs of the rapidly growing state.