The Smiths Gap cassowary crossing will now cost $30.7m

Following years of delays, a troubled fauna crossing project on the Cassowary Coast is expected to cause more headaches for Bruce Highway motorists and will cost significantly more than expected.

Main Roads has declined to say whether there will be a review into a “disastrous” fauna crossing project on the Cassowary Coast that will now cost $20m more than budgeted and open years after originally planned.

In September 2019 $9.8m was earmarked for the Smiths Gap cassowary overpass and overtaking lane project initially due for completion in early 2021.

When completed, under a revised finalisation date of early 2024, the cassowary bridge will link tracts of world heritage-listed rainforest for the endangered birds, which have become frequent road-strike victims in recent years.

An artist’s impression of the fauna crossing set to be built across the Bruce Highway at Smiths Gap between El Arish and Tully.

Transport and Main Roads has revealed the crossing will now cost $30.7m amid more headaches for motorists until mid-September 2023 while road workers construct a single lane traffic side track around the site to allow for the construction of concrete arches, 13km north of Tully.

The Smiths Gap fauna crossing project is designed to reduce cassowary deaths on the Bruce Highway. Picture: Peter Carruthers

A frustrated Hill MP Shane Knuth said the Smiths Gap crossing had been the worst planned project he had ever experienced during his 20 years in parliament.

“The El Arish Range roadworks have been a complete disaster,” Mr Knuth said.

“What we have seen is continued delays and stop and go traffic lights with no work taking place.

An aerial photo taken in 2021 showing the Bruce Highway at Smiths Gap. Works on an overtaking lane and fauna crossing have been ongoing for longer than expected. Picture: Arun Singh Mann

“We have never seen frustration from drivers like this who have put in numerous complaints to my office about this section of road works.”

TMR has now approved more traffic stoppages, including 15 minute delays between July 27 and July 29 and five minute stoppages are expected at other times between late July and early October 2023.

Work at the $30.1m Smiths Gap wildlife crossing project on the Bruce Highway resumed recently after significant delays. Picture: Peter Carruthers

Asked if there would be a review into road work processes a TMR spokesman declined to respond, the department also declined to extend an apology to motorists facing new delays.

But a spokesman did offer an explanation for 213 per cent budget blowout.

“TMR has experienced higher-than-expected cost estimates and extensive slope stability works and required a further $20.8m to facilitate the full scope of works,” the spokesman said.

Kennedy MP Bob Katter addressing a widely held view that the crossing had been built in the wrong place given the endangered birds were not known to cross the highway at that point, said “there could be nothing more insane”.

“There are a lot of people who would give you $1000 to see a cassowary walk across a human made walkway,” Mr Katter said.

However, according to TMR the department completed a Cassowary Conservation Management Plan in 2020 to identify strategies for reducing road strikes.

Construction workers at the Smiths Gap site on July 10, 2023. Picture: Peter Carruthers

The plan was developed with input from cassowary advocate groups through the Cassowary Recovery Team.

Townsville-based company RMS Engineering and Construction was awarded the tender to build the cassowary crossing and overtaking lane.

The $30.72m project is funded under the Australian Government’s Bruce Highway Overtaking Lane Program.

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Originally published as The Smiths Gap cassowary crossing will now cost $30.7m