Our local member for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto, has written to the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, the Honourable Brent Mickelberg regarding urgent safety concerns about the Paluma Range Road.
We thank Nick for bringing the safety issues regarding our coastal access road to the Minister’s attention. Thanks also to Michael Drew for forwarding Nick’s letter for this post. I’ve inserted the letter as three images below. Please forgive the formatting but we wanted quick and easy access for all to read.
As a part-time resident of Paluma I regularly drive the Range Road. For me, the greatest ‘Dangers of Paluma Range Road’ are drivers who DO NOT drive to the road conditions. I regularly encounter vehicles being driven well above the speed limit of 40 km and in the middle of the road, or on the wrong side of the road (particularly on sharp bends and blind corners in the road). Granted, the narrow winding mountain road has its challenges, but the greatest issue I have observed is BAD DRIVING. Speeding traffic through the village is also an ongoing and very concerning issue. On many weekends I have observed a significant number of vehicles passing my place on Mt Spec Road doing well above the speed limit. This is a particular concern during some of the large scale events held within and outside the village. No amount of road works and repairs will fix the problem of inconsiderate, impatient and illegal drivers on the Range Road and within the village.
Nick’s letter deals with the two most urgent safety issues. The increase in school bus traffic during school terms is very obvious.
I dealt with the family of one of the many victims killed and amputated as a result of the 1987 Gillies school bus tragedy. We do not want a repeat of that on our home turf!
Give Way signs and guard rails on the Fairy Falls Precipice and the narrow guard -free Mountain Creek crossing would be a good start! ( query : what is the danger difference between Twin Falls crossing and Mountain Creek? The same danger except the former has had a give way sign and robust guide rail for decades!
The latest effort of the TMR at FF Precipice is a safety shocker!
Let us not allow these dangers to go unremedied… just as we did with the cholera risk of the Village Green dodgy septic trench next to the kids playground and the Dodgy village Water supply ( E. coli ++++)
If residents do not take personal action to complain to the three other State Members of Parliament about the Paluma Range State ( TMR) road, no one else will!
Email your Representative today!