$467 million to build a better Bruce Highway

May 14, 2024

517 views

The Australian Government is investing an extra $467 million in the Bruce Highway through the Budget to improve its safety and capacity.

This funding includes $154 million for improvements along the Bruce Highway North corridor, and an additional injection of funding to support the delivery of a number of important existing Bruce Highway upgrade projects.

$15 million will also be invested to plan for the upgrade of the Pine River Bridge. Overall, the Government is investing more than $10 billion in the Bruce Highway.

Bruce Highway South – Australian Government commitment $5.6 billion:

Bruce Highway – Pine River Bridge Capacity Upgrade – Plan and Preserve
Bruce Highway – Pine River to Caloundra Road Smart Motorways (Stage 2)
Widen Bruce Highway in Brisbane (Dohles Rocks Road to Anzac Avenue)
Gateway Motorway – Bracken Ridge to Pine River
Bruce Highway – Anzac Avenue to Uhlmann Road
Bruce Highway – Anzac Avenue– Uhlmann Road – Business Case
Bruce Highway – Buchanan Road – Caboolture Bribie Island Road – Business Case
Bruce Highway – Uhlmann Road–Buchanan Road – Business Case
Bruce Highway – Gateway Motorway to Dohles Rocks Road Upgrade
Bruce Highway – Cooroy to Curra – Section D
Bruce Highway – Tiaro Flood Immunity Upgrade
Bruce Highway – Linkfield Road Overpass

Bruce Highway Central – Australian Government commitment $1.6 billion:

Bruce Highway – Mackay Port Access – Slade Point Road
Bruce Highway – Knobels Road Intersection Upgrade
Bruce Highway – Jumper Creek Upgrade
Bruce Highway – Goorganga Plains Upgrade – Plan and Preserve Corridor
Bruce Highway – O’Connell River to Proserpine Flood Immunity Upgrade (Goorganga Floodplain)
Bruce Highway – Goorganga Overtaking Lanes
Bruce Highway – Construct 2 Dual (4 of) Overtaking Lanes from Gladstone – Mt Larcom Road to Bajool – Port Alma Road
Bruce Highway – Planning and preconstruction (various)
Bruce Highway – Gladstone to Rockhampton upgrades
Bruce Highway – Gavial Creek to Burnett Highway Upgrade
Bruce Highway – Safety reconstruction of the existing highway section at Bajool
Bruce Highway – Major upgrade/Grade–separation of Gladstone–Mt Larcom Road Intersection
Bruce Highway – Construct 2 Overtaking Lanes from Benaraby to Gladstone – Mt Larcom Road
Bruce Highway – Pavement renewal (Gladstone – Rockhampton)
Bruce Highway – Construct 1 Dual (2 of) Overtaking Lanes from Gavial – Gracemere Road to Burnett Highway
Bruce Highway – Ginger Beer Creek Upgrade

Bruce Highway North – Australian Government commitment $1.9 billion:

Bruce Highway – Cairns Southern Access Corridor – Robert Road to Foster Road
Bruce Highway – Cairns Southern Access – Stage 5
Bruce Highway – Babinda Intersection Upgrade
Bruce Highway – Innisfail Bypass – Plan and Preserve Corridor
Bruce Highway – Dallachy Road Flood Immunity Upgrade
Bruce Highway – Gairloch Floodway – improved flood immunity
Bruce Highway – Ingham to Cardwell Range Deviation – Plan and Preserve Corridor
Bruce Highway – Burdekin Deviation – Plan and Preserve Corridor
Bruce Highway – Burdekin Bridge
Bruce Highway – Pavement Widening – South of Home Hill to Ingham

Bruce Highway Safety Package – Australian Government commitment $1.4 billion

Bruce Highway – Bruce Highway Safety Package
Bruce Highway – Overtaking Lanes
Bruce Highway – Additional Funding for Black Spots, Rest Areas and Safety Upgrades
Bruce Highway – Roads Operations Improvement Projects

Rockhampton Ring Road – Australian Government commitment $1.2 billion

The RACQ has welcomed the Federal Government’s $467 million commitment to fast track much needed upgrades along the Bruce Highway as a solid step in the right direction.

General Manager Advocacy Joshua Cooney said it was promising to see the Federal Government playing its key role in fixing the Bruce.

“A ‘Budget for the Bruce’ is what our members, and all Queenslanders, want to hear and thankfully we expect to see this commitment to some extent in this year’s Federal Budget,” Mr Cooney said.

“The Bruce Highway is the backbone of Queensland’s economy and is a piece of nationally significant infrastructure. But there’s no denying it’s broken.

“This funding will help wipe delays on critical projects including Section D of the Cooroy to Curra Upgrade, the Cairns Southern Access Stage 3 project, the Linkfield Road overpass and planning for the Pine Rivers Bridge Upgrade.”

Mr Cooney said while this is positive news for Queensland motorists, RACQ’s fight for the Bruce was far from over.

“Around 750km of this national highway is rated as poor and on average 29 people lose their life on the Bruce each year and more than 360 suffer serious injuries from crashes,” Mr Cooney said.

“Our long-time advocacy for the Bruce will continue well beyond this year’s Budget. A safe Bruce Highway is crucial for Queenslanders’ health, livelihoods and economic prosperity.

“We are still concerned about the Federal Government’s decision to walk away from the established 80:20 funding split with the State Government for new regional infrastructure projects and we continue our calls for this to be reversed.”

The Club eagerly awaits more details of this latest funding announcement within the Budget which will be handed down next week.

Major construction complete for busy Bruce Highway section

Rockhampton Ring Road now fully funded by state and federal governments

Source: RACQ