Queensland’s Push for Sustainable Roads

July 26, 2021

Last month the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) announced its “Building Sustainable Roads” initiative; a commitment to increasing the city’s sustainable infrastructure that helps to reduce waste and emissions. 

A key objective in the Queensland Government’s Waste Management and Resource Strategy is to become a zero-waste society by either avoiding, reusing or recycling waste where possible to work towards a circular economy. 

TMR has committed to build greener infrastructure by incorporating glass, tyres, reclaimed asphalt and construction and demolition waste divert up to 8,000 tonnes of waste can be diverted from landfill for every kilometre of green road. 

Alex Fraser’s Queensland Asphalt crew paving Redland City Council streets with Green Roads asphalt.

Alex Fraser Recycling GM Sean McCormick says the company’s ‘Queensland Recycling and Asphalt’ operations are integral to ensuring the accessibility of quality, recycled materials needed to build TMR’s sustainable roads. 

“Strategically placed sites like Alex Fraser’s Nudgee and Archerfield Recycling Facilities, and our Asphalt Plant in Narangba play an important role in the sustainable supply of Queensland’s major projects.” 

“We have a long history in Queensland, spanning 25 years. We’ve supplied millions of tonnes of sustainable construction materials like recycled aggregates and roadbase to projects like Brisbane’s Clem Jones Tunnel, Mains and Kessels Road and the Bruce Highway, reducing emissions and the extraction of limited natural resources.” 

Queensland municipalities, like Brisbane City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council are accelerating the consistent use of sustainable materials, like Green Roads roadbase and asphalt, to build and maintain their cities.  

Queensland municipalities are choosing sustainable materials to build and maintain their cities.

Sustainable material supply is the most effective way to reduce the environmental impacts of development – diverting waste from landfill, reducing truck traffic and reducing the carbon footprint of projects by up to 65 per cent.   

McCormick adds, “It’s fantastic to see forward thinking governments working to reduce landfill and emissions to achieve a circular economy. We’re definitely heading in the right direction to protect the environment for future generations.” 

Sustainable Queensland Projects

BRUCE HIGHWAY 

The Bruce Highway is one of Australia’s major highways and links Brisbane and Cairns. The road is heavily trafficked, carrying 1,500 vehicles per hour. Alex Fraser supplied 5,500 tonnes of recycled concrete pavement material for the project through civil constructors ALLROADS. Choosing Alex Fraser recycled materials made this a Green Road as it resulted in approximately 47 tonnes of carbon savings, 1,335 tonnes less material compared to nonrecycled materials and 45 less truck movements. 

CLEM 7 

The Clem Jones Tunnel (CLEM7) provides a critical river crossing that bypasses the CBD to link Brisbane’s growing northern and southern suburbs. Originally specified as a MR1.1 high quality roadbase, Alex Fraser developed a recycled concrete roadbase to engineers’ specification specifically for the project. A cost saving was seen of an estimated $570,000, and 725 less truck movements. The use of recycled materials also prevented the extraction of 120,000 tonnes of natural resources, saved more than 100,000 tonnes of waste from going to landfill and reduced carbon emissions by around 1,000 tonnes. 

GATEWAY UPGRADE NORTH 

The Gateway Motorway North is a critical transport corridor to the northeast of Brisbane that links Brisbane Airport, Port of Brisbane and the Australia Trade Coast precinct with the wider Brisbane area and Sunshine Coast. Alex Fraser supplied aggregates, crusher dust and roadbase materials through civil constructor Lendlease. The use of Alex Fraser materials resulted in 171 less truck movements resulting in a saving of 170 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, which is equivalent to saving electricity usage of 26 households for a year.  

Awarded an IS design rating of excellence* 

*ISCA 

All Brisbane projects with a value of more than $100 million are mandated to be assessed through the Infrastructure Sustainability Rating Scheme projects. Alex Fraser has proudly supplied several major projects which have achieved Excellent IS Design and IS As Built ratings, including CityLink Tulla Widening, Webb Dock West, and Gateway Upgrade North.