Federal MP’s fears for worsening Bruce Highway conditions

A Federal MP is worried that the deluge of rainfall across the weekend will only worsen the Bruce Highway’s conditions.

Dawson MP Andrew Willcox said heavy rainfall at the weekend would worsen the Bruce Highway’s already bad conditions. Picture: Contributed

Federal MP Andrew Willcox is worried that the heavy rainfall that lashed his electorate over the weekend will only worsen road conditions in what is already a problematic black spot on the Bruce Highway.

The LNP politician represents the Dawson electorate, which spans more than 370km of a rough stretch of the highway between the south of Townsville to Mackay, and is unconvinced that the highway was back to normal conditions before flooding.

While he conceded the Department of Main Roads had labelled the Bruce Highway safe to reopen, after a closure between Proserpine and Mackay, he believed intense rainfall within a six hour period would have its impacts on the long-term road conditions.

“The Bruce Highway was already riddled with pot holes and I am very concerned what long term effect this flood will have on the key route to North Queensland,” Mr Willcox said.

“This just highlights what I’ve been banging on about for quite some time.

“Funding from the federal governments needs to be restored to 80-20 arrangement and injected into areas of the Bruce such as Mackay through to Townsville to lift the safety standard plus flood mitigate known sections that cut with any sort of rainfall.”

The Bruce Highway has flooded in the Whitsundays, with cars stopped in floodwaters near Goorganga. Photo: CJ Magee

Mr Willcox was also concerned about what the heavy rainfall would mean for canegrowers the region as they accessed the damage to their crops.

Crashes on the highway continue to happen, and most recently, on Sunday a 12-year-old boy was in a serious condition after a horror crash involving a caravan between Mackay and Rockhampton.

Recently the State Government established an advisory council to examine the Bruce Highway, and it held its first meeting in Townsville.

A horror two vehicle crash involving a caravan on the Bruce Highway at Marlborough. Pictures: CapRescue

Townsville State MP Adam Baillie said the advisory group represented diverse views including regional and industry representatives spanning between the Sunshine Coast up to Far North Queensland.

“The six regional representatives have varied backgrounds such as civil construction, heavy vehicle and transport operators, small business owners and road safety advocates,” Mr Baillie said.

Originally published as Federal MP’s fears for worsening Bruce Highway conditions