The Australian Government is set to provide an additional $7.2 billion to upgrade and fix the Bruce Highway in Queensland, to bring it up to a minimum three-star safety rating.
This funding is the single largest investment ever into the Bruce Highway, and brings the Australian Government’s total outlay for the 1,673 km road to more than $17 billion.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads has estimated $9 billion will achieve a minimum of three out of five-star safety rating for the entirety of the Bruce.
Key stakeholders, including RACQ, Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF), Queensland Trucking Association (QTA), and Queensland Tourism Industry Council along with everyday Queenslanders have called for more investment and a long-term plan to fix the Bruce.
The Bruce Highway has an average Fatal and Serious Injury (FSI) crash rate three to five times higher than any major highway in New South Wales and Victoria.
As the major north-south corridor which connects Brisbane to the regional centres of Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, the Bruce is critical to the movement of passengers, freight and tourists across the state – supporting around 62 per cent of the population in Queensland.
The new safety package will fast-track critical projects along the whole corridor, and will initially focus on priority sections north of Gympie that have been identified by stakeholders due to their higher than average crash rates.
Priority sections include Maryborough to Benaraby, Rockhampton to St Lawrence, Bowen to Townsville and Ingham to Innisfail.
There will also be a focus on resealing and rehabilitating road surfaces for resilience to “Build Back Better”, thereby mitigating damage from increasing weather events.
“Queensland deserves a long-term plan, and that is what my Government is delivering,” says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The identification and prioritisation of projects funded under the package will be informed in consultation with the Queensland Government and the Bruce Highway Advisory Council, with works commencing in 2025.
“Almost half the Bruce has a 2 star safety rating and that’s not good enough. This historic investment answers the call of Queenslanders to bring the Bruce up to a 3 star safety rating so Australians stop losing their loved ones on this road,” says Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King.
Projects within the package may include installing safety barriers, wide centre lines and audio tactile line marking; constructing wider shoulders; increasing run off areas, overtaking lanes and rest areas; and improving intersections, signage, and sight lines.