The upgrade of the Bruce Highway between Sankeys and Traveston Roads is on track to be wrapped up before Christmas and under-budget following the completion of another of the project’s major construction contracts.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the latest package of works to be completed included erecting three new bridges and surfacing the new 12 kilometre section of highway using about 160,000 tonnes of asphalt and 6,000 tonnes of concrete.
“Three of the four major contracts have now been delivered,” said Mr Albanese.
“All that remains to do is finish building the new Traveston interchange and Mary Valley Link Road as well as the realignment of Traveston Road and the Skyring Creek bridge connection.
“Recommended by Infrastructure Australia and funded in our recession-busting Economic Stimulus Plan, the project is being delivered as part of the massive capital works program which right now, both direct and indirect, is putting more than 3,500 people to work building a better, safer Bruce Highway.”
Begun in late 2009, the realignment and fully duplication of the Bruce Highway between Sankeys and Traveston Roads – also known as Cooroy to Curra, Section B – is being jointly funded by the Federal ($388 million) and Queensland ($125 million) governments.
Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the progress that’s been made over the past two and a half years is a tribute to the expertise and hard work of the thousands of workers who have been on-site delivering this long-overdue upgrade.
“Indeed, the fact this massive project has remained on schedule and will come in significantly under-budget is even more remarkable when you remember that since the start of construction the region has received more than 4.5 metres rainfall and experienced three major floods,” said Mr Emerson.
“Once fully completed, the new section of four-lane, divided highway will deliver safer driving conditions, with wide shoulders, emergency stopping bays and Intelligent Transport Systems such as speed-activated Variable Message Signs.”