New Goondiwindi roundabout is ready to boost safety of busy school run

A new roundabout was ready for the school run this morning, improving the safety of students, teachers and caregivers in Goondiwindi.

The new roundabout is located at the intersection of McLean and Callandoon Streets, adjacent to St Mary’s Parish School and along a key route for many families with children at the Goondiwindi State Primary School.

Cr Jason Watts holds Council’s portfolio for Transport, Roads and Youth – he said the new roundabout means improved safety for pedestrians and road users, especially during the town’s busy school drop-off and pick-up times.

“I’m obviously very passionate about road safety, and I’m extremely proud that Council has been able to deliver this project towards safer school travel for the community,” Cr Watts said

“From children and their parents to teachers and commuters on their way to work, this project will improve the safety of all road users, whether that journey is on foot, by bike or in the car.

“It will also improve the flow of traffic across two key roads in Goondiwindi, and that’s especially important during the busy school traffic hours.”

The project includes new or upgraded crossings on the approach to the roundabout from all four directions, with new refuge islands to make it safer for both cyclists and pedestrians to cross.

Goondiwindi Regional Council successfully received $330,000 from the Queensland Government’s School Transport Infrastructure Program towards the project.

Cr Watts said he was very pleased that Council had been able to secure the funding.

“We were hoping the work would be able to be ready right at the very start of the school year, but in the end we had a few delays that pushed us back a few weeks, including floods in December, and we all know how busy contractors are at the moment and the wait on supply materials. These delays certainly aren’t how we usually like to operate, so I’d like to thank all parents and road users for their patience while we got this roundabout ready for the community.”

The project complements a suite of recent road and footpath upgrades with a focus on improving pedestrian safety in the Goondiwindi Region, including footpath and pedestrian crossing upgrades in Herbert and Callandoon Street in Goondiwindi, new footpaths along Flemming and Wilson Street in Texas, and a new footpath along Eena Street in Yelarbon.

It also complements the 2021 completion of the cycleway along Lamberth Road, completing a vital ‘missing link’ in Goondiwindi’s cycle network.