Description
Rocklea to Darra -Stage 1 is the 3km upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway between Granard Road, Rocklea and Oxley Road, Oxley.
Key elements of the upgrade include:
- Upgrading the motorway from 4 to 6 lanes
- Higher bridges over Oxley Creek, including 7 new bridges
- New southern service road connection from Rocklea industrial precinct to the Oxley commercial and retail areas
- New northern service road connection over Oxley Creek floodplain
- New traffic signals at the Suscatand Street intersection.
Project benefits:
- Providing safer access to and from the motorway
- Increasing the motorway's capacity
- Constructing higher bridges over the Oxley Creek area
- Providing improved active transport facilities
- Providing better local road connectivity.
Rating Highlights
Climate Change - Cli-1Climate Change Risk Assessment and Cli-2 Adaptation Options
Highest possible score achieved for this category. A climate change risk assessment workshop was held with key personnel, a number of readily available climate change projections identified for the asset, and project related risks identified. One high risk was reduced to moderate residual risk after developing mitigation measures.
Materials - Level 2.67 achieved for Mat-1 Materials Footprint Measurement and Reduction
Achieved a 25% reduction in materials lifecycle impacts compared to base case footprint.
Key savings include:
- Asphalt and aggregates through reduction in pavement thickness
- Precast bridge structures (through use of winged planks and softer bridge spans)
Health and Wellbeing - Highest possible score achieved (Level 3) for Hea-1 Community Health and Wellbeing
Three priority community health and wellbeing issues were identified, and a set of corresponding measures developed to respond to these issues.
Management Systems - Highest possible score for Man-1 Leadership and Commitment and Man-2 Risk and Opportunity Management
Regular risk workshops have been held with relevant members of the project design team. Identified risks are incorporated into the project wide risk register.
Ecology - Highest possible score for Eco-2 Habitat Connectivity
Habitat connectivity-Increasing the width of current wildlife corridors and installation of fauna fencing to reduce risk of fauna mortality.
Innovation
Two innovations were achieved:1)LED lighting: 246 high efficiency LED lights along the length of the project alignment. The BAU approach for road lighting is the use of HID lights. The reduction in energy associated with LEDs vs HIDs is estimated at 20%(Queensland first).2)Winged planks: A new alternative design for short-span bridges that will result in material savings. The bridges using winged plank design were constructed using 118 deck units, as opposed to the 316 that would be required using the standard TMR approach. This results in a 57% reduction in concrete and a 54% reduction in the stressing strand steel required for the bridges (Queensland first).