Roads can be a lifeline during an extreme weather event - supporting emergency responses and keeping people connected. Here's how Transurban worked to prepare for action ahead of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred - and how we're helping communities recover from its impacts.
As the cyclone was approaching Queensland's southeast, we were deep in emergency response preparations. This included establishing teams of experts to work on protecting the critical systems that help keep our roads open to traffic, preparing to respond quickly and safely to any incidents during the cyclone event, and getting ready to support the emergency responses and impacted communities during the recovery phase.
Our approach included learnings from our response to the 2022 South East Queensland floods and other extreme events.
Our roads and tunnels form one part of a state's overall transport network, and so our approach was developed through collaboration with both state and local governments. We worked closely with: Brisbane City Council; Transport and Main Roads; the Brisbane Metropolitan Traffic Management Centre; and the State's Disaster Management Authority to ensure our toll roads and tunnels were part of the greater Brisbane response to the cyclone. Our support included providing special permissions for military vehicles to access our roads as part of the response preparations.
Throughout the weather event, our roads and tunnels across Brisbane and Logan experienced only minimal flooding - with our team working to keep our roads open and available for the community and emergency services during and after the cyclone.
In the weeks that have followed, we are continuing to work with our local communities affected by flooding and other impacts. This has included working closely with a wide range of local charities and community groups - providing cash grants to support disaster relief and recovery efforts. Relief efforts we have supported include:
- Baby Give Back, helping fund the provision of nappies, formula, and other essential baby items to impacted families.
- Bayside State School, helping replenish stocks for the school's Bayside Cares food-supply program
- Bethania Community Centre, supporting the centre's upcoming market, and helping provide emergency food relief and essentials to impacted households.
- Community+, funding emergency food relief and basic resources to assist impacted communities get back to normal as quickly as possible.
- Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club, helping fund urgent repairs to their facilities following damage sustained during the extreme weather.
- Grandchester Model Live Steam Association, helping the association complete flood repairs ahead of a planned community day.
- Ipswich Knights Football Club, contributing to repairing the club's grounds and facilities.
- Kingston East Neighbourhood Centre, funding for food relief, medication, hygiene items and clothing.
- Lighthouse Care, helping fund emergency food relief and hampers for families in need across Logan.
- Loganlea Community Centre, fund the centre's free weekly community meals and support services such as showers and laundry facilities.
- Ocean Crusaders, helping fund a day of cleaning in the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay to remove cyclone-related debris.
- Redlands Community Centre, supporting a community event designed to help provide support to Redlands community members
- ReStart SEQ, helping fund the restocking of a storage facility for bedding and household supplies - used in rehousing disaster-affected families and survivors of domestic violence.
