Bruce Highway named Queensland’s worst road by RACQ

No North Queenslander would be shocked by news the Bruce Highway has been named the state’s worst road. See which sections are the worst.

A photograph taken at the scene of one of multiple fatal vehicle accidents on the Bruce Highway, named by RACQ as Queensland’s worst road. Picture: Cameron Bates

In news unlikely to shock, the Bruce Highway has been named Queensland’s worst road by the RACQ.

“Our members have called out the Bruce Highway in a big way and their criticism stretches from south east Queensland to far north Queensland,” the Club’s Head of Public Policy, Michael Kane, said on Wednesday.

“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 more than 1,500 nominations were received from motorists in response to the survey, highlighting problems on 556 different roads.

But it was the notorious Bruce Highway that returned to the top of RACQ’s Unroadworthy Roads list in 2022 after being overtaken by Kin Kin Road in 2020.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

The notoriously dangerous and flood-prone section of the Bruce Highway between Ingham and Innisfail have been labelled among the worst sections of the road by RACQ. Picture: Cameron Bates

Dr Kane said that although significant work was being undertaken, “RACQ is calling for these upgrades to be delivered faster, especially with the recent flooding which caused significant disruptions up north just weeks ago.”

Specific and repeated complaints about the Bruce Highway include its rough surface, narrow width, that it lacks safe overtaking opportunities and is prone to flooding, damage and potholes.

Dr Kane said Kin Kin Road in the Sunshine Coast hinterland received the second highest number of nominations, followed by Old Maroochydore Road also on the Sunshine Coast, Mount Mee Road at D’Aguilar and the Cunningham Highway in the Darling Downs.

“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,” he said, adding that wet weather leading to potholes and road damage were also a blight.

“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.”

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey, speaking in Townsville, said the government understood the “Bruce Highway is a high priority for Queenslanders”.

“That’s why there are 45 Bruce Highway upgrades underway right now (and) we’ve completed 400, and more, since we came to office,” he said.

RACQ’s Top 10 Worst Queensland Roads

Bruce Highway

Kin Kin Road

Old Maroochydore Road

Mount Mee Road

Cunningham Highway

Warrego Highway

Tamborine Mountain Road

New England Highway

Brisbane Valley Highway

D’Aguilar Highway

Originally published as Bruce Highway named Queensland’s worst road by RACQ