By Sonia Isaacs
A KEY section of the recreation trail linking Glass House Mountains and Beerwah will be closed for up to 12 months as part of major works for the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade.
The affected section between Pikes Road and Sportsground Drive closed on June 4 and is expected to remain inaccessible between 7am and 5pm on weekdays while construction is underway.
The lengthy closure has surprised some local residents who use the trail as an active transport and recreation link between communities.
The closure forms part of Stage 1 of the Beerburrum to Nambour (B2N) Rail Upgrade and is required to allow vegetation clearing, bridge construction, service relocations, earthworks and heavy vehicle movements adjacent to the trail corridor.
Member for Glass House Andrew Powell said he had been advised of the closure by the project team in late May.
“While the disruption is significant, the works are necessary to progress the B2N Project and deliver critical infrastructure safely, particularly given the scale of activities such as bridge construction, service relocations and heavy vehicle movements along the corridor,” Mr Powell said.
He said safety considerations were the primary reason for the extended closure.
To assist users, a weekday courtesy bus is operating between Pikes Road, Kello Road and Sportsground Drive from 7am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Mr Powell said trail users, including cyclists, could access the service by speaking with traffic controllers stationed at the designated pick-up and drop-off points.
A Department of Transport and Main Roads spokesperson said temporary changes to trail access would be required at various stages of the project to ensure public safety.
“To ensure the safety of the community and trail users, access to sections of the recreation trail between Beerburrum and Beerwah will be required to change at times during critical project works on, and adjacent to, the recreation trail,” the spokesperson said.
The B2N Rail Upgrade is part of the Queensland Government’s broader plan to improve passenger and freight rail services between the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and Brisbane.
Project information indicates the recreation trail alongside Steve Irwin Way will remain the primary active transport connection between Beerburrum, Glass House Mountains and Beerwah once Stage 1 of the upgrade is completed.
The Department of Education said decisions about how students travel to and from school remained a matter for families, with Beerwah State High School continuing to communicate any relevant updates from TMR to its school community.
Community members with B2N queries should contact the project team on 1800 517 177 or via email at b2n@tmr.qld.gov.au
