General News
21 March, 2024
TARMAC questions guard rails
Road safety has been jeopardised by guard rails installed on the New England Highway according to members of the Toowoomba Amateur Radio Model Aero Club (TARMAC).
The particular section of guard rails in question, installed within the last few weeks, is in front of the TARMAC entrance between the junction with Drayton Connection Road and the
BK Civil Group facility.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is responsible for the road.
Club Chief Flying Instructor Trevor Theodore said TARMAC has 70 members, meaning cars are regularly entering and exiting the facility.
He said there has been consultation from TMR throughout the process.
One of the busiest times of the week is Wednesday mornings, which see around 30 people coming each week.
Weekday mornings are the busiest time for traffic coming into Toowoomba, which TARMAC members need to give way for.
Mr Theodore said the TARMAC committee will be having a meeting to decide what action should be taken.
There is a 90km/h speed limit on the highway in this area and members report they do see vehicles speeding down the hill from Hodgson Vale.
Since the guard rails have been installed, they say it is frightening for them to be slowing down or stopped while entering TARMAC.
A TMR spokesperson said the Department has installed guardrails on the New England Highway at Hodgson Vale as part of the State Government funded Targeted Road Safety Program (TRSP).
“TRSP’s purpose is to provide safety interventions to improve the safety of Queensland’s roads and roadsides. The program is primarily focussed on treating locations with known fatal and serious injury crashes,” the spokesperson said.
“The guard rails at Hodgson Vale are installed over a large culvert and a long length of steep batter on the side of the road to prevent roll over type accidents.
“Prior to the installation there was insufficient road width to manoeuvre safely around vehicles waiting to turn right and a significant danger of vehicles leaving the road while attempting to do so.
“When designing safety treatments TMR considers a number of factors including sight distance, traffic volume, and requirements of local stakeholders.
“On the New England Highway at Hodgson Vale there is a long and clear sight distance to enable vehicles to slow and stop in good time. TMR advises road users to drive to conditions at all times.”
One TARMAC member had even written to TMR several years ago requesting for wider shoulder at the section of road in question.
It had appeared his request had been granted when workers widened the road a few months ago but hopes were dashed when the guard rails were erected.
Although there is a short section of where the guard rails have been installed which has a steep embankment, it is fairly flat for most of the distance.
Other sections of guard rail have also been installed on the New England Highway.
They are at the junction with Beauly Drive at Top Camp, near the intersection with Hodgson Vale Road and Lucks Road at Hodgson Vale and one the southern side of the intersection with Cambooya Connection Road and Ramsay Road at Cambooya.
