Bajool crash: Calls for Bruce Hwy upgrades despite $7.25m safety works

Works to improve the Bruce Highway were completed just weeks before an explosion involving an army tank shut that stretch of road down for 24 hours and put six people in hospital. See where the money went.

A military expert dubbed the Bruce Highway as ‘not fit for purpose’, calling for funding to upgrade sections of the road which ‘barely meet’ civilian requirements let alone army transport needs, despite millions of dollars of safety upgrades being done in 2020 near Bajool.

Just weeks before an explosive crash between trucks and an army tank, maintenance on the Bruce Highway south of Rockhampton had been completed.

The Bruce Highway at Bob’s Creek, Bajool, was closed for more than 24 hours after the firey crash on July 19.

The tank was to be involved in the 10th iteration of Exercise Talisman Sabre – the largest Australia-US bilateral military training exercise – which runs from July 22 to August 4.

Six people were hospitalised, three with suspected spinal injuries, after the crash which occurred at 11:25am near Bajool.

In the aftermath of the crash a military expert dubbed the Bruce Highway as “not fit for purpose”, calling for funding to upgrade sections of the road which “barely meet” civilian requirements let alone army transport needs.

The passageway on the bridge is notoriously narrow and locals and nearby residents say they have seen multiple near misses.

A truck driver died on May 7 2020 after his truck crossed the Bobs Creek Bridge about 2am and left the roadway, falling into the creek below.

He was taken to Rockhampton Hospital in a critical condition with injuries to his arms, legs and face but died hours later.

Firey scenes of the Bruce Highway crash at Bajool on Wednesday July 19, involving three trucks, one with an Army tank loaded on the trailer, and four vehicles.

However millions has been spent on safety upgrades to the highway, which included the Bob’s Creek Bridge which were completed in 2020, it can be revealed.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport and Main Roads said skid resistance work on the Bruce Highway, which included the crash site, had only been completed in June 2023 as part of TMR’s maintenance program.

“In addition, $7.25 million safety improvements including the Bruce Highway and Mogilno Rd intersection and installation of wide centre line treatment south of Bob’s Creek Bridge were completed in 2020,” the spokesman said.

The Bruce Highway reopened to a single lane of traffic on Thursday morning as work continued to clear and repair the road where the crash happened near Bajool. Photo: Geordi Offord

The ‘catastrophic’ crash caused extensive damage to the road and bridge guard rails, with speed restrictions put in place when the highway was finally able to reopen to two lane traffic about midday July 20.

Further repairs to the road were undertaken the following day.

“As a result of the crash a guardrail was damaged and bollards have been installed as an interim safety measure. Guardrail replacement will be programmed as soon as possible. TMR will continue to monitor the road condition,” the TMR spokesman said.

Police investigations into the crash are ongoing and no charges have been laid at this stage.

Originally published as Bajool crash: Calls for Bruce Hwy upgrades despite $7.25m safety works