Vehicles now using new section of Bruce Highway

3/11/2017

Vehicles now using new section of Bruce Highway

• Major traffic switch on the Bruce Highway between Gympie and Caboolture
• Upgrade to improve flood immunity and road safety on 10.5-kilometre stretch
• Full Cooroy to Curra – Section C upgrade on track for early 2018 completion

Works on a new section of the Bruce Highway have been completed earlier than expected, with 10.5 kilometres of duplicated highway now open to traffic as the $384.2 million Section C of the Cooroy to Curra upgrade nears completion.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the project formed part of the $8.5 billion, 10-year Bruce Highway Upgrade Program.

“With each new section of the Cooroy to Curra project we are a step closer to a duplicated Bruce Highway from Brisbane to just south of Gympie, increasing flood immunity, reducing travel times, catering for growing traffic volumes, and most importantly, saving lives,” Mr Chester said.

Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien said today’s traffic switch was welcome news, with the project expected to dramatically improve road safety on the stretch of highway.

“The new road is going to save lives and it’s great to see motorists already moving onto it, well ahead of schedule. While the construction of the Sections A, B and C have caused some inconvenience, the end result is a much safer, quality, high speed and high capacity four lane road that connects our region to Brisbane and beyond,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Drivers are already saving time with the speed limit reverting to 110 km/h outside of construction zones. Section C is the third link in the broader Cooroy to Curra project, bringing the total distance built since the first section started in 2009 to 36 kilometres from Cooroy to Woondum, just south of Gympie.

“The project has also delivered a major boost to the economy through local and regional job creation – it is estimated that more than 680 jobs have been created over the life of the project. 

“I thank everyone at Transport and Main Roads, the contractors and the subcontractors, for their work in delivering this fantastic piece of infrastructure.”

The Australian Government has committed $307.4 million and the Queensland Government $76.8 million to fund the $384.2 million Bruce Highway – Cooroy to Curra – Section C project. For further information on the Bruce Highway- Cooroy to Curra upgrade, visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/cooroytocurra