Capricorn Highway Upgrade Complete

Capricorn Highway

engineering, road construction, Transport and Main Roads,

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The Capricorn Highway Upgrades Between Rockhampton And Gracemere Is Complete.

The jointly funded $74.99 million Capricorn Highway project has improved travel times and safety between the Yeppen Roundabout and Gracemere.

The Federal Government’s record $110 billion infrastructure investment plan is delivering on the commitment to secure the nation’s recovery and keep communities safe. This project in particular was one of several major road upgrades transforming the Rockhampton region.

Projects like this aren’t just important from a road safety and congestion-busting point of view, they also support local jobs and contractors during construction, which is part of Queensland’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.

“Motorists had seen this important freight and commuter link on the Capricorn Highway transformed.”

“The Capricorn Highway duplication project focused on addressing the capacity of the highway between Rockhampton and Gracemere to cater for traffic volumes that exceed 18,000 vehicles per day,” Ms Landry said.

“The completed upgrade to a four-lane highway has increased road capacity and reduced travel times, particularly during morning and afternoon peaks, creating a more efficient commute for motorists.”

Michelle Landry – Federal Member for Capricornia

The works for the Capricorn Highway upgrades began in late 2019, with the project team progressively opening completed sections over the past six months.

Gracemere locals will now start to see some early preparations happening for the 100% state-funded Lawrie Street upgrade, and north of town the Bruce Highway upgrade around the Rocky-Yeppoon Road turnoff is getting close to finishing too. Although, the biggest project yet to be started is the construction of the Ring Road.

The Ring Road will be one of the biggest projects Rockhampton has ever seen and will be massive for its economy while construction is underway.

When it opens, which is expected to be sometime in 2026, it will transform the road network with a new 14.7-kilometre highway connecting the Capricorn Highway to the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road/Bruce Highway intersection.

These works were funded under the Federal Government’s $600 million Northern Australia Roads Program. This program has delivered upgrades to high-priority roads across northern Queensland and other jurisdictions that are essential to the movement of people and freight to support the region’s economic development.

The investment will continue for Central Queensland roads, including areas like Keppel, where millions of dollars are to be spent on significant upgrades to the Yeppoon to Rockhampton and the Emu Park to Rockhampton roads.

Since December 2020, TMR has opened the new, two-lane, eastbound carriageway, including the new bridge at Scrubby Creek and more recently, the signalised intersection of the Capricorn Highway with Fairy Bower Road and Old Gracemere Road.

The Project has been jointly funded, with the Australian Government contributing $59.99 million and the Queensland Government contributing the remaining $15 million.

Fast facts:

  • 336,000 project hours worked
  • 85,000 m3 of fill imported and placed
  • 40,000 m3 of pavement placed
  • 3,080 m3 of concrete poured
  • 15,000 tonnes of asphalt
  • Two new bridges, 14 piles driven and 20 deck units placed
  • 13 new drainage structures
  • 55 new culvert lines
  • 12.5 kilometres of on-road bike path.

ENDS

Thursday 22nd July 2021 – Media Release

© The State of Queensland 1997–2021

Read the Media Release here.

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