Second major contract awarded for Section D Bruce Highway upgrade

Contract to deliver 18 kilometres of four-lane dual carriageway between Veteran and Curra, upgrades to five local roads and 19 new bridges.

Aerial view of clearing works near Gympie for the final section of the Cooroy to Curra Bruce Highway Bypass.

Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien has announced the second major contract has been awarded for the ongoing Bruce Highway Cooroy to Curra upgrade.

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The Deputy Speaker today confirmed the $298 million contract for works on the long-awaited Gympie Bypass project has been awarded to CPB Contractors.

“This $289 million Contract 2 is a significant step forward on the final stage of the Bruce Highway Section D project,” Mr O’Brien said.

Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien announced the latest contract today.

“It follows the awarding of Contract 1 to Bielby Holdings and BMD Constructions joint venture in August last year.”

Mr O’Brien said the contractor would deliver 18 kilometres of four-lane dual carriageway between Veteran and Curra, complete with realignments and upgrades to five local roads and 19 new bridges.

Work was expected to begin this year, according to Mr O’Brien.

“A new interchange will also be constructed at Curra connecting the new section to the existing Bruce Highway north of Gympie,” he said.

“Section D is a critically important project that will improve flood immunity and freight efficiency, create local jobs in construction, open up Wide Bay’s economy, and help Queensland’s recovery from COVID-19.

“Most importantly, this four-lane divided highway is a world-class design with high safety standards that will save lives on our section of the national highway.

“This is a project that was hard fought for by so many people in Gympie and in Maryborough and right across the Wide Bay region and we all look forward to the benefits it will bring.”

The contract will go towards funding about 200,000 tonnes of asphalt, a 17.5km concrete barrier, a 17km wire rope barrier, and 35km of fauna fencing.

Aerial view of clearing works near Gympie for the final section of the Cooroy to Curra Bruce Highway Bypass.

Large earthmovers will be required to move an estimated 2.2 million cubic metres of earth, and the combined length of the contract bridges is 1150 metres.

CPB Contractors also carried out works on Section C of the Bruce Highway upgrade and Mr O’Brien said they had “committed to working with local businesses to create local jobs”.

He said the Section D upgrade project was expected to support approximately 576 direct jobs.

The contract was expected to be completed at the same time as the first contract in 2024 subject to weather and conditions.

The $289 million contract is jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments, at an 80/20 per cent split respectively.

Originally published as Second major contract awarded for Section D Bruce Highway upgrade