Brisbane City Council will deliver a city-wide $360 million road resurfacing blitz across the next four years, as the organisation works to continue to keep essential services running, projects built and staff employed despite the coronavirus impacts.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said detailed continuity planning has ensured essentials such as road and traffic light repairs, grass cutting, mosquito treatments, tree maintenance and online library services continue and the cogs keep turning for Australia’s largest council.

“We have had to adjust the way we operate because of coronavirus, but the everyday tasks of Council are continuing and we are keeping people in jobs to ensure Brisbane continues to function throughout this crisis,” he said.

“Bins are still being collected, grass is still being cut in parks and reserves, the city continues to be cleaned and the contact centre is taking huge volumes of calls providing information and advice on rates assistance and our small business relief package. We are adapting to a new normal and we will see this pandemic through.

Cr Schrinner said council’s road resurfacing investment was providing jobs and also using local suppliers, such as Envirosand which supplies crushed glass and KwickCat which provides resurfacing equipment.

“We are continuing Council’s historical investment in the Smoother Suburban Streets program, which will see more than 2000 roads resurfaced by the end of this financial year,” he said.

“Major arterial roads across the city including Ipswich Road in Woolloogabba, Old Cleveland Road in Carindale and Waterworks Road in Ashgrove, as well as hundreds more suburban streets will be resurfaced as part of the investment, providing work for hundreds of Council staff and local suppliers.

“Council’s procurement policy ensures that 80% of procurement is sought locally and we engage with local landscapers, local construction crews and local mowing contractors to help us maintain our parks and developments.

“A business in Wacol provides Council with signs and traffic control devices and a business in Milton does traffic counting and it’s our dedication to sourcing local suppliers that ensures we are keeping more people employed during this incredibly turbulent time.

“Council yesterday announced that all councillors, manager and staff will have a two-year pay freeze, to help absorb the significant financial impact of the coronavirus crisis on Council’s budget and ensure that essential services can continue.

‘As Council’s essential services continue to operate, this freeze ensures that we are able to keep all our staff and maintain a strong position to launch into recovery mode once the virus threat diminishes, which could be months or years.”

MAJOR ROAD RESURFACING PROJECTS INCLUDE:

  • Lytton Road, Morningside – $1.6 million
  • Hamilton Road, Wavell Heights – $1.5 million
  • Toombul Road, Northgate- $1.4 million
  • Old Cleveland Road, Coorparoo – $1.3 million
  • Bracken Ridge Road, Bracken Ridge – $1.3 million
  • Boundary Road, Richlands – $1.2 million
  • Wynnum Road, Wynnum West – $1 million
  • Musgrave Road, Coopers Plains – $1 million
  • Hamilton Road, Chermside (Unmack Street to Gympie Road) – $1 million
  • Beenleigh Road, Runcorn – $1 million
  • Ridley Road, Bridgeman Downs – $1.4 million