Construction on deadly Bruce Highway intersection to begin in next 12 months

An election promise to upgrade a deadly intersection of the Bruce Highway where three men lost their lives is set to be delivered.

An aerial view of the site of the triple fatal at the intersection of Walker St and the Bruce Highway in Maryborough.

Construction to fix a deadly Bruce Highway intersection is set to get underway in the next financial year.

Premier David Crisafulli visited Maryborough on Wednesday to announce that the election commitment made by the LNP to carry out safety upgrades at the intersection of the highway and Walker St was set to begin, with funding included in the state budget.

Detailed planning is underway to ensure the upgrade improves safety while maintaining the critical function of the Bruce Highway as a key freight and transport corridor, a state government press release said.

The Walker Street intersection has been identified as a high-risk location, with increasing traffic volumes and complex turning movements contributing to safety concerns for motorists, pedestrians, and freight operators.

Truck drivers Daniel Stuart, Tim Hickey and Sidney Marstella died in a horrific crash at the Walker Street intersection with the Bruce Highway at Maryborough on March 22, 2024.

The deaths sparked hundreds of demands for a major funding boost to fix the Bruce Highway, particularly north of Gympie, to stop the carnage and devastation.

Prior to the election, the LNP pledged $20 million towards upgrading it.

Sidney Marstella was killed in a horror crash at the Walker Street Bruce Highway intersection in 2024.

As a short-term safety solution, the speed limit on the Bruce Highway between Industrial Avenue and Showgrounds Road was reduced to 80km/h earlier this year and to 60km/h between Showgrounds Road and the Henry Palmer Bridge, which includes Walker Street intersection.

Nearby, upgrades have also just been completed at three other intersections along Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road at Susan River, including on Stockman Way, Noble Road and Sunnyside Drive.

These are among 71 projects across the state being delivered under the Australian and Queensland Governments’ jointly funded Road Safety Program, the government statement said.

“We said we’d improve safety at the Walker Street intersection and our first Budget delivered the funding to push forward with those works,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Premier David Crisafulli. Picture Lachie Millard

“Queenslanders have known for a long time this intersection isn’t safe, and we want to rectify that so drivers can travel through it and safely get home to their families.

“There’s also four other projects that are currently underway between Maryborough and Gympie as part of our $9 billion Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program with the Federal Government.”