Council Plans Ahead to Save Millions in Future Repairs

A multi-million-dollar maintenance program has been approved for decades ahead, to ensure Moreton Bay Region’s essential infrastructure withstands population growth pressures.

Mayor Peter Flannery said today’s maintenance expenses are tomorrow’s cost savings, especially for bridges and stormwater infrastructure.

“By updating our long-term management plans, we will maximise the life of the 945 stormwater basins and 83 bridges in our region,” he said.

“Today’s unanimous vote means we’ll double the yearly maintenance budget for bridges from $466,000 to $881,000 starting in the 2021/22 financial year onwards.

“While bridges do have a longer lifespan than most other infrastructure, they also have a higher cost of repair or replacement, which emphasises the need for us to be more proactive in keeping them in good condition.

“For stormwater systems it’s another story; they absolutely require a high level of frequent attention to ensure they function well to keep our waterways free from pollution and debris

“We’ll be progressively increasing the maintenance budget for stormwater assets from $1.5 million per year to eventually reach $4.23 million by the 2024/25 financial year and onwards.

“At the end of the day, it’s about keeping residents moving from A to B as our population grows, and ensuring our waterways are clean for our health and the environment.

“We’re spending now to save later, which may feel counter intuitive, however it will do the exact opposite and pay dividends to the region for decades to come.

“Like anything, if you maintain it properly, it will last longer and be cheaper in the long run.”