The highway that tops the list in the RACQ Queensland’s most unroadworthy roads

The Bruce Hwy has been exposed as Queensland’s most unroadworthy road, slammed for being too narrow, riddled with potholes and dangerous. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Major traffic delays on the Bruce Highway. Picture: Jessica Grewal.

The Bruce Highway has been declared the state’s most unroadworthy road, a new survey has found.

The stretch of highway from Southeast Queensland to Far North Queensland was called out the most in the RACQ’s Unroadworthy Roads list 2022, released on Tuesday.

RACQ head of public policy, Michael Kane, said the results highlighted problems on 556 different roads compiled from more than 1,560 nominations.

“Even with significant amounts of funding being directed to the Bruce Highway over many years, recent rain and flooding, combined with heavy traffic, has resulted in potholes and other surface damage,” Dr Kane said.

The Bruce Highway after January 2023 rainfalls closed the road at several points including at Bowen and Proserpine. Picture: Heidi Petith

“Respondents pointed out a range of issues with the Bruce Highway, saying some sections are too narrow, riddled with potholes, lack safe overtaking opportunities and easily flood.

“There were some parts of the highway that received more nominations than others, especially around Rockhampton, the stretch from Mackay to Bowen and Ingham to Innisfail.”

Dr Kane said upgrades to the Bruce Highway needed to be delivered faster.

Kin Kin Road and Maroochydore Road on the Sunshine Coast also received a large number of votes as being among the most unroadworthy.

Dr Kane said there was a common theme across the roads listed as the worst.

“All the roads in the top 10 list have many things in common: rough surfaces, poor shoulders, narrow lanes and a lack of overtaking opportunities Wet weather leading to potholes and road damage are also very common,” he said.

Bruce Highway has topped the list of 'most unroadworthy roads' according the RACQ’s Unroadworthy Roads list 2022. Picture: RACQ

“We need targeted investment to ensure upgrades are dedicated to safety, maintenance, resilience and strengthening of regional roads, especially with traffic increasing and more frequent and extreme weather events expected in years to come.”

The survey was open from September 6-October 11 and asked drivers to pinpoint problem stretches of road in their community, with the Bruce Highway receiving 267 nominations.

RACQ’s Traffic and Safety Engineering Manager, Gregory Miszkowycz, said respondents highlighted a range of issues with the Bruce Highway and other roads.

He said the most common problem pointed out by drivers were rough road surfaces, with that complaint making up 78 per cent of the responses.

The survey results have been provided to the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads and relevant Councils in a bid to identify and fast-track upgrades to roads.

WORST TEN ROADS

1. Bruce Highway

2 Kin Kin Road

3. Old Maroochydore Road

4. Mount Mee Road

5. Cunningham Highway

6. Warrego Highway

7. Tamborine Mountain Road

8. New England Highway

9. Brisbane Valley Highway

9. D’Aguilar Highway