The 2026-27 Budget will deliver a record investment in road resurfacing as the Schrinner Council continues to tackle congestion and keep Brisbane moving.
The centrepiece of this year’s Budget is a record $110 million road resurfacing program that will deliver nearly a million square metres of smooth surfaces along some of Brisbane’s busiest roads.
“Operation Smooth” follows the Schrinner Council’s Big Fill pothole blitz, which at its peak saw one pothole repaired every two minutes across Brisbane.
The “Operation Smooth” resurfacing program features some of the city’s busiest roads, including:
• Albion Road (Albion, Windsor)
• Eagle Farm Road (Pinkenba)
• Forest Lake Boulevard (Forest Lake)
• Hamilton Road (Chermside, Wavell Heights)
• Hawken Drive (St Lucia)
• High Street (Toowong)
• Inala Avenue (Durack)
• Ipswich Road (Annerley)
• Kedron Park Road (Wooloowin)
• Learoyd Road (Acacia Ridge)
• Logan Road (Upper Mt Gravatt)
• Lutwyche Road (Lutwyche, Windsor)
• Main Avenue (Coorparoo)
• Mains Road (Sunnybank)
• McCullough Street (Sunnybank)
• Moggill Road (Indooroopilly)
• Mt Nebo Road (Enoggera Reservoir)
• Murphy Road (Zillmere)
• South Pine Road (Enoggera)
• Sylvan Road (Toowong)
• Toohey Road (Salisbury)
• Wilston Road (Grange)
The “Operation Smooth” investment forms part of a broader $1.9 billion investment in transport and infrastructure to keep Brisbane moving and prepare for the city’s growth.
The most high-profile resurfacing works will be on the southern approach to the Story Bridge, which forms part of the National Highway Network.
More than $400 million will be invested in better roads, including:
• Progressing the Beams Road corridor upgrade
• Delivering the Archerfield Road, Azalea Street and Pine Road intersection upgrade in Inala
• Upgrading the intersection of Cavendish Road, Holdsworth Street and Kitchener Street in Coorparoo
• Delivering a new crossing on Gympie Road, Bald Hills outside Guide Dogs Queensland
Technology will play an increasing role in reducing congestion, with artificial intelligence technology to be trialled within Brisbane’s traffic signal network through the Smarter Suburban Corridors program.
The next phase of the Clearway Action Plan will also be rolled out on Vulture Street in East Brisbane.
The first corridor review along Musgrave Road and Waterworks Road delivered significant benefits, with motorists collectively saving more than 1000 hours in travel time every week.
Public transport remains a key priority, with the Schrinner Council investing a new record of $213 million to subsidise bus, CityCat and Brisbane Metro services.
The first two stages of Brisbane Metro have now carried more than 10 million passenger trips, demonstrating the benefits of long-term investment in high-capacity public transport.
However, with just six years until the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, future Metro expansions will require support from the Federal Government.
Without federal funding, future stages of Brisbane Metro will not proceed.
The Budget will also invest in safer travel options for students, pedestrians and cyclists, including:
• More than $3.9 million for Safer School Precincts in Kedron, Mansfield, Wynnum Manly and Indooroopilly
• More than $63 million for footpaths and bikeways, including the Minnippi, Prebble Street, Shaftson Avenue and Sylvan Road bikeway projects
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner:
“We’re investing in better roads, safer intersections, public transport and new technology to keep Brisbane moving.
“We’re doing our part to manage growth and keep costs down, but local governments cannot carry the burden of Australia’s fastest-growing cities alone.
“Local governments collect just three cents in every tax dollar paid in Australia yet deliver around a third of the services people rely on every day.
“Brisbane is growing rapidly and without greater support from other levels of government, congestion and pressure on infrastructure will only get worse.
“Brisbane and Perth are the only capital cities recording a net gain of Australians moving from other states, yet federal infrastructure funding continues to flow elsewhere.
“Melbourne received $6 billion for a single rail project while Brisbane was once again overlooked in the most recent Federal Budget.
“Brisbane deserves a fair share of federal infrastructure funding to help keep our city moving as more Australians choose to call Brisbane home.”
