Ipswich City officials have announced significant funding for road upgrades, park improvements, and community facilities in Springfield Lakes under the 2025–26 budget.
Springfield Parkway is undergoing a major upgrade as part of the city’s largest road project, with $7 million allocated to continue Stage 2. This stage will see the section from Topaz Road to near the Springfield Greenbank Arterial Stage 1 intersection widened to four lanes. The work includes cycle lanes, a shared pedestrian path, and the conversion of the Topaz Road roundabout to a signalised intersection.
A further $750,000 has been committed for the upgrade of Augusta Parkway and Sinnathamby Boulevard. This project involves lane duplication from Eden Station Drive to Main Street and includes bridge duplication works between Springfield Central and Augustine Heights.
The budget includes $3.1 million for sealed road rehabilitation across locations such as Springfield Lakes, Goodna, Camira, Carole Park and Augustine Heights. Updates to traffic signals will be funded with more than $200,000 allocated for improvements at Redbank and Carole Park intersections.
Stormwater drainage improvements in Bellbird Park will receive $250,000 as part of a two-year $750,000 program targeting Perdita Street, Katandra Crescent and Rosemary Street.
Parks, Libraries and Community Facilities
Council has allocated $400,000 to replace the mountain slide at Grande Park in Springfield Lakes. Springfield Central Library will benefit from $407,000 for upgrades and planning towards a new library. Sports facilities will see $310,000 in rehabilitation works, including renewed lighting at Evan Marginson Park’s netball court at Goodna.
In addition, $100,000 over two years has been set aside for design and planning of improvements at the Goodna SES facility at Redbank Plains, with construction expected in 2026–27.
The projects form part of Ipswich City Council’s broader plan to manage rapid growth in Division 2 through upgraded infrastructure and community services. Further stages of road works are scheduled across coming financial years, with continued investment planned to meet the needs of the expanding population.
The expansion of Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial is significantly enhancing the daily commutes of more than 20,000 residents and visitors in Springfield Central, ensuring smoother traffic flow and safer travel.
This multi-stage initiative prioritises the needs of a rapidly growing population while navigating the challenges of preserving sensitive ecological areas and accommodating the area’s bustling activity.
Completed Stage 1
The $85-million Stage 1 of the project, completed in late 2023, has already delivered significant improvements to the local road network. This phase saw the widening of Springfield Parkway from Hymba Yumba Independent School to Centenary Highway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial from Springfield Parkway to Eden Station Drive, transforming them into four-lane thoroughfares.
Other key enhancements included:
Upgrading the Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial roundabout to a signalised intersection will facilitate pedestrian movements and provide a U-turn facility.
Constructing dedicated two-metre cycle lanes in both directions.
Installing a three-metre-wide shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists.
Erecting a retaining wall near the Escarpment estate on Springfield Parkway.
Duplicating the bridge over Opossum Creek.
The new lanes on Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial are already managing over 20,000 vehicles per weekday, significantly improving traffic flow and safety for the growing Springfield community.
Stage 2: Design Phase
With Stage 1 complete, the focus shifts to Stage 2, which is currently in the design phase. This stage will encompass the following:
Widening Springfield Parkway from Topaz Road to just north of Hymba Yumba Independent School, duplicating it from two to four lanes.
Upgrading the roundabout at Springfield Parkway/Topaz Road/Woodcrest Way to a signalised intersection.
Widening and line-marking the Springfield College Drive and Bridgewater Road approaches to the roundabout on Springfield Parkway to allow for two lanes of traffic.
Constructing dedicated two-metre cycle lanes in both directions.
Installing a three-metre-wide shared pathway for pedestrians and cyclists.
Early works for Stage 2 commenced in December 2023 with a 3.6m trench extension beside Hymba Yumba Independent School. Constructing effective stormwater drainage networks whilst maintaining the current system during Queensland’s storm season has been a significant challenge.
The project team is committed to ensuring the highest-quality innovative network is constructed across the project and adjacent to the school whilst preserving sensitive ecological areas.
Once the culvert works are complete, Stage 2 will commence in 2024-2025, including the duplication of Springfield Parkway from Topaz Road, connecting to Stage 1 just past the Bridgewater Road roundabout.
Stage 3: Under Construction
Stage 3 of the project is already underway, focusing on the following:
Widening Springfield Greenbank Arterial from Eden Station Drive to Sinnathamby Boulevard to include a total of four lanes.
Upgrading the roundabout at Springfield Greenbank Arterial/Main Street/Centenary Highway Exit 32 off-ramp to a signalised intersection.
Creating new entry and exit points at the existing Springfield Central train station carpark.
Constructing dedicated two-metre cycle lanes in both directions.
Installing shared pathways for pedestrians and cyclists.
Significant rainfall and storm activity over the past few months have impacted vegetation and landscaping along Stage 3, including the flooding of Mountain Creek. The team is working to restore damaged plants and maintain weeding and mowing within the construction corridor. Despite the weather challenges, crews have progressed with electrical work, stormwater drainage networks, and new Park’n’Ride entry pavements.
Sustainability has been a key focus for the team, utilising existing materials and implementing innovative environmental controls. Core logs were used in the bottom of the rock barrier to minimise silt washing onto the pavement and into drainage and waterways, a key environmental management feature across Stage 3.
Photos Credit: IpswichCityCouncil
Constructing in a busy activity centre with major shopping, business, education, and public transport facilities has presented numerous challenges, especially considering the high volume of people passing through Stage 3 daily.
In parallel with Stage 3, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has commenced works to reconfigure and reopen the Queensland Rail carpark east of Springfield Central station. The carpark, located at the southern end of the Brisbane Lions facility, will remain closed during construction activities. Weather and construction conditions permitting, work is expected to be complete by mid-2024.
The works required to reopen the carpark include installing new asphalt, concreting edging, new lighting, and line marking. TMR has engaged BMD Construction, the same contractor undertaking Stage 3, for this project. When reopened, the eastern carpark will complement the existing parking facilities within the Springfield Central train station precinct, including the multi-storey park ‘n’ ride facility opened in April 2022.
The road widening project for Springfield Greenbank Arterial has reached a significant milestone, with motorists able to drive on the additional lanes for the first time in January 2023.
Growth, Infrastructure and Waste Committee Chair Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said that starting 23 January 2023, vehicles travelling along Springfield Greenbank Arterial, from Eden Station Drive towards Springfield Parkway, will be switched over to the new road alignment.
From having only two lanes, the Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial are being expanded to four lanes, to assist in supporting efficient transport for Springfield and the city’s eastern corridor’s growing population.
Photo credit: Google Street View
Mayor Harding reminded that the traffic switch will result in a temporary closure of the intersection of Escarpment Drive at Springfield Greenbank Arterial for approximately four months.
“Access into Escarpment Drive estate for all road users will be via Springfield Parkway, and there will be staged switching of pedestrian and shared pathways over the coming months,” Mayor Harding said.
Growth, Infrastructure and Waste Committee Deputy Chairperson and Division 2 Councillor Paul Tully said there will be further closures on these entrances and exits throughout the year.
“Traffic switches will also occur next month along Springfield Parkway from Springfield Lakes Boulevard towards the Springfield Parkway roundabout, and from the roundabout to past Hymba Yumba Independent School,” Cr Tully said.
Cr Tully added that as part of Stage 1 of the project, the first traffic switch will allow more efficient refurbishment of existing traffic lanes and shared pathways along the arterial and the driveways of Hymba Yumba.
The Springfield Parkway and Springfield Greenbank Arterial roundabout will also be upgraded to a signalised intersection. The traffic signals will accommodate pedestrian movements and include a u-turn facility.
