Tiaro Bypass design contractors revealed

A company that worked on the Sydney Opera House will help design a major project that will transform travel on the Bruce Hwy in regional Queensland.

TIARO BYPASS: Heavy traffic travelling through Tiaro. Photo: Stuart Fast

The state government has locked in two companies for the design of the $336m Tiaro Bypass that would transform Bruce Hwy travel and provide flood immunity.

Arup Australia and SMEC Australia are in charge of completing the design work which is expected to be finished next year.

Highway and road works under way in Wide Bay Burnett | Full list

The bypass will address safety, flood immunity and traffic efficiency issues, and cater for future traffic demand on the Bruce Highway, the Department of Transport and Main Roads said.

The design includes nine kilometres of a new four-lane highway, a concrete centre median barrier, and interchanges north and south of Tiaro with improved highway flood immunity, the statement said.

Horror run on Bruce Hwy near Bauple, Gunalda reignite 4-lane fight

The Mary River flooding at Tiaro – pictured at 7.4m. Tiaro newcomers Errol and Raylene Derksen watch the river rise. Picture: Alistair Brightman

The $336m project funded by the state and federal governments is expected to create 490 direct jobs.

The department said construction timeframes would be confirmed during the detailed design phase.

Arup Australia and SMEC Australia have previously worked together when they won an advisory contract for Inland Rail, an improved rail freight corridor between Melbourne and Brisbane in 2016.

Arup has also worked on the Cross River Rail, and a Bruce Highway upgrade involving a diverging diamond interchange at Caloundra.

The four-lane Tiaro Bypass - draft concept design. Picture: TMR

Arup first came to Australia in 1963 to structurally design the Sydney Opera House, and now has more than 13000 staff with 10 offices across Australia, including one in Maroochydore.

The Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme in 1949 was where SMEC had its origins and the company has continued to grow in Australia and the world.

One of its recent projects included the Mt Lindesay Highway upgrade between Stoney Camp Rd and Chambers Flats.

Originally published as Tiaro Bypass design contractors revealed