Business owners on Marian St are feeling the effects of the roadworks on the highway which has temporarily closed lanes and removed parking lanes.
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Bec Johnson, who is the branch manager for Applied Industrial Technologies Pty Ltd on 26 Marian Street, said the notification of closures outside their office was late and the impact was significant
"We were informed Monday via a representative of BMD (the contractor doing the work for the Department of Transport and Main Roads) just before close of business at 5pm, that the far right hand lane would be closed to traffic as of this morning and they would be converting the parking lane along our side of the street to a through lane for the traffic for at least the next three weeks," Ms Johnson said.
"I asked him to clarify an alternative for parking for my customers and he said there wasn't one."
When asked where she was expected to have her customers park for the next three weeks and who would be compensating the business for loss of revenue, he also did not have an answer, she said.
"I was encouraged to place a complaint with the Department of Main Roads as he also voiced his concerns and said that BMD had placed concerns about the set up with them to no avail," she said.
"I do believe this will have a negative impact on businesses along the affected area for the next few weeks and maybe for more weeks to come if customers believe they have no access to parking along this strip of road," she said.
"I also think it is poor form to be informed of these changes less than 24 hours before they were to take effect. We have an alternative in place at the moment for our customers, giving them access to our side entrance driveway that our staff use for parking."
Computer business BEM, also on Marian St, said they were informed of the changes but it causes inconvenience, especially for freight deliveries which normally park out the front.
Another Marian St business owner, who did not want to be identified, queried the timing of the change.
"The rail line is still closed so there is a lot more trucks on the road," the owner said.
"Why couldn't they wait until the line re-opened before starting this?"
TMR defended their actions saying the exclusion zone around the median strip was extended to include the inside lane as a safety measure for construction workers with traffic diverted onto the parking bays to keep two lanes open.
"Transport and Main Roads staff door-knocked impacted stakeholders in late January this year advising of the upcoming works and likely timeframes," a spokesperson said.
"They were told there would be some minor impacts and delays during construction.
"TMR and our contractor, BMD, are working closely with the Mount Isa City Council to keep impacts to a minimum. The MICC and TMR are meeting regularly throughout the duration of the works."
Under this $8.3 million project due to complete in December, nine intersections will be upgraded along the Barkly Highway in the Mount Isa urban area.
It will involve the narrowing of the median islands between Abel Smith Parade and Camooweal St - and, in some cases, the removal of trees, including one in three fig trees, and the rose bushes planted by a Mount Isa Zonta club.
TMR said these works would improve safety for all road users - including heavy vehicles, general traffic, tourists, cyclists and pedestrians.
"When completed the works will also improve the interaction of traffic on local roads and through-traffic on the Barkly Highway," their spokesperson said.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
