Major Bruce Highway overhaul continues with $500m for 22 new projects
After years of fatal crashes, Queensland's notorious Bruce Highway has received a lifeline with 22 critical upgrade zones confirmed. SEE THE LIST
Another 22 sections of the Bruce Highway will undergo upgrades worth a combined $500 million as the state and federal governments continue inching toward finally fixing Queensland’s deadliest road by 2030.
The works form part of the joint $9bn funding package designed to lift the highway’s most dangerous stretches to a minimum three-star safety rating under the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP).
On average, 31 people die on the Bruce Highway every year, with most fatalities occurring on one and two star segments.
Of the 22 high-risk areas now slated for works, 19 sections totalling 93km will receive pavement strengthening.
This includes two locations in the Wide Bay region, five in Fitzroy, seven in Mackay, three in the Northern district and two in Far North Queensland.
Three additional sections — between Central Road and Mary River at Gympie/Maryborough, Kooltandra and Neerim Creek on the Rockhampton–St Lawrence stretch, and between Mackenzie Creek and Tindall Court near Ayr and Townsville — will be fitted with wide centre line treatments, including road widening and audio-tactile line marking. Centreline treatments along these three sections, totalling 13km of 1700km highway stretch, are expected to cut the risk of head-on collisions by up to 60 per cent.
Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the 22 upgrades would deliver a major safety boost for drivers.
“We’re delivering the critical safety upgrades needed between Gympie and Cairns, to service the spine of our state,” he said.
“Queenslanders are starting to see the benefits as we accelerate these upgrades, and we’ll continue to drive forward delivering them across the regions.”
The substantial $9bn funding package follows The Courier-Mail and Sunday Mail’s Help Our Highway campaign, which pushed for an overhaul of the Bruce and helped secure an 80:20 federal-state funding split earlier this year.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads estimates the program will require $5.5bn for centre-line widening, $900m to replace narrow bridges, $860m for new overtaking lanes, $670m for pavement strengthening, and $360m each for intersection upgrades and rest areas.
A further $400m will be held in reserve.
Of the 16 fast-tracked upgrades announced in March, funded under a $300m early works package, six are already complete with eight under construction and the remaining two set to commence this month.
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said significant progress had been made with the $300m early works package.
“This next wave of work will ensure these priority safety improvements continue to roll out on the Bruce Highway,” she said.
“This work is also an important step towards reducing closures due to crashes and improving network reliability along the Bruce.”
Premier David Crisafulli said projects were “finally moving” and would make a big change to lives of regional Queenslanders.
“From a standing start, rubber is hitting the road on more of the $9bn worth of upgrades to get you where you’re going sooner and safer,” he said.
Work has already begun on the next round of 22 upgrades and will continue into 2026.
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