Bruce Highway's diamond in the rough
25 July 2018
Federal Government: Work
is now underway on an Australian-first engineering solution for the
Bruce Highway Upgrade between
Caloundra Road and the Sunshine Motorway.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Michael McCormack said the first of 36 concrete
bridge piles were
recently completed for the nation's first
Diverging Diamond Interchange
(DDI).
“Around Australia the Liberal and Nationals' Government is investing in
our
roads to ensure people can get home sooner and safer, as well as
providing a boost to productivity,” Mr McCormack said.
“The Federal Government is pleased to be supporting this critical Bruce
Highway upgrade to alleviate congestion and reduce crashes. This project
is just one part of the $10 billion Federal Government investment to the
Bruce Highway Upgrade Program.”
The bridge
piles, each about 17 metres long, will support two new
bridges that will create the DDI—a design that will revolutionise
the way large traffic volumes are managed.
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the
innovative design would reduce the number of vehicle conflict points and
the potential for crashes by widening the highway to six lanes, along
with major upgrades to the interchanges.
“Motorists traveling over the Bruce Highway will seamlessly cross over
from the left carriageway to the right side, and then back again, with
traffic movements controlled by synchronised signals at each end of the
Caloundra Road interchange,” Mr Bailey said.
“Not only will the DDI improve traffic flows between the Bruce Highway,
Steve Irwin Way and Caloundra Road, it will also significantly minimise
environmental impacts and improve active transport connections.”
Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said the
project team worked closely with Australia Zoo to incorporate into the
design any impacts to the monument of Queensland icon Steve Irwin.
“Steve Irwin Way was named to honour the late great legend and it's
important visitors understand the legacy he left for not only
Queensland, but the world,” Ms Jones said. “This project will make it
easier for both locals and visitors to get around this stunning part of
the state.”
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said DDIs had been used with
great success overseas, mainly in the United States, with almost 100 now
operational worldwide.
“In Australia, the DDI is an emerging interchange design that responds
to increasing demands for different ways of managing large traffic
volumes and it is exciting that the Sunshine Coast is at the forefront
of innovative engineering solutions for such a major road project,” Mr
Wallace said.
Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien said the Australian and
Queensland governments was committed to delivering the infrastructure
the Sunshine Coast needed to reduce congestion and improve road safety.
“The interchange will progressively open during the construction period
to enable the removal of the existing Caloundra Road overpass bridge.
The DDI will be fully operational when the two new bridges are open and
operating in conjunction with new on and off ramps at the interchange,”
Mr O'Brien said.
Construction is expected to be completed in late 2020, weather
permitting.
The $812.95 million Bruce Highway—Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway
project is funded on an 80:20 basis with the Australian Government
contributing $650.36 million and the Queensland Government contributing
$162.59 million.
--ENDS--
Source: Australian Government - www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au
Contact: N/A
External Links: www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/B/Bruce- Highway-Caloundra-Road-to-Sunshine-Motorway-upgrade
Recent news by: Australian Government