What's next for Queensland's Bruce Highway upgrades?
09 September 2019
Construction
continues on the
Bruce Highway upgrade between
Caloundra Road and the
Sunshine Motorway, with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for
Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack and
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace in town to inspect the site of
Australia's first
diverging diamond interchange.
Mr McCormack said the diverging diamond interchange would bust
congestion and improve travel times.
“Diverging diamond interchanges are an innovative engineering design
with real congestion-busting benefits in the face of growing traffic
volumes,” Mr McCormack said.
“This interchange is only one part of the
Australian Government's $10
billion Bruce Highway Upgrade Program, which aims to improve safety,
flood resilience and capacity along the entire length of the
highway.”
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said
planning for additional, future highway upgrades to service the
Sunshine
Coast's growing population was starting to ramp up.
“Design has started on a project to widen the Bruce Highway from four to
six lanes between Caboolture-Bribie Island Road and Steve Irwin Way,
while early works for the Maroochydore and Mons Road interchange
upgrades are expected to start soon,” Mr Bailey said.
“Early works have also started on the Cooroy to Curra Section D upgrade,
which will see 26 kilometres of new four-lane, divided highway
constructed east of Gympie.”
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said the projects would improve
safety and reduce travel times along the highway from Brisbane to north
of the Sunshine Coast.
“Sunshine Coast residents can be assured we have funding locked in and
well-developed plans to improve the key road that connects their
communities,” Mr Wallace said.
“About 65,000 vehicles travel on the Bruce Highway each day between
Caboolture and Steve Irwin Way, so that project in particular will
significantly improve safety, flood resilience and capacity on the
highway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.”
Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien said the projects would transform
the Bruce Highway, keeping pace with growth and unleashing the economic
capacity of the region.
“These projects also mean hundreds of jobs on the Sunshine Coast,
locking in a construction pipeline of major works that will continue
well into the next decade,” Mr O'Brien said.
“It's an exciting time for the Sunshine Coast.”
All projects are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland
governments on an 80/20 basis.
--ENDS--
Source: Australian Government - www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au
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