The Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure today welcomed the announcement of the $613 million duplication of the Cooroy to Curra (Section B) stretch of the Bruce Highway.

This project will provide motorists with a four-lane divided carriageway that improves safety and reduces congestion for the 17,000 vehicles travelling on the road each day.

The Bruce Highway has crash rates 40 per cent higher than other roads on the National Network.

On the Cooroy to Curra Section B alone, 13 people have lost their lives since July 2002.

Traffic volumes on the highway continue to grow at four to five per cent each year.

Construction will occur between 2009 and 2012 and support up to 650 direct local jobs, boosting economic activity in the local region during the global economic recession.

The Federal Government will invest $488 million and the Queensland Government will invest $125 million in this important project.

This investment is part of the Federal Government's $22 billion infrastructure investment in the 2009-10 Budget, which includes transport, energy, broadband, universities, and health care.

The Australian Government's nation-building initiatives include $8.6 billion in road and rail infrastructure in Queensland.