Another milestone in the delivery of the multi-million dollar upgrade of the Bruce Highway over the Cardwell Range has been reached with the completion of work on the project's centrepiece, a 180 metre long, high level viaduct.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese said in another sign of progress on this fully-Federally funded upgrade, the project team has finished building the new overpass of the North Coast Rail Line at Rungoo.
“Despite the local region having received over 8,000 millimetres of rain since they started work, or some 315 inches in the old scale, the contractors and their workers have done an outstanding job maintaining the momentum on this vital project,” said Mr Albanese.
“All up, more than 600,000 tonnes of soil and rock will be removed from along the new alignment of the Bruce Highway and stockpiled for use elsewhere on the project including building new embankments.
“But importantly, this is just one of many upgrades currently underway along the 1,700 kilometre length of this road, all part of Federal Labor's unprecedented $2.8 billion Bruce Highway capital works program.”
Expected to be completed by the middle of next year, the Cardwell Range Realignment is upgrading a four kilometre section of the Bruce Highway about 15 kilometres north of Ingham.
Queensland Senator Jan McLucas said she was delighted with the completion of the Rungoo Overpass, which will be one of the most crucial safety benefits of the project.
“Located on the northern side of the range, the overpass over the North Coast Railway Line delivers a huge safety improvement at the site of the fatal December 2008 crash between a B-Double and the tilt train,” said Senator McLucas.
“I drove this stretch of road just last week and it is such a vast improvement.
“The Hinchinbrook Lookout is also being upgraded and a new access bridge over the Highway is being erected so as to remove the need to make unsafe right turns and provide better access for visitors.”