$70m Bells Creek Arterial Road extension opens to traffic

The opening of a $70m arterial road that serves as a gateway to the Bruce Highway on the Sunshine Coast will save motorists up to 10 minutes on the road.

The opening of a congestion-busting $70m arterial road on the Sunshine Coast provides a second route to the Bruce Highway, while saving motorists up to 10 minutes on the road.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, and Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt cut the ribbon on the eight kilometre extension of Bells Creek Arterial Road on Tuesday morning.

The opening of the extension marks the completion of the 11.9km thoroughfare between the Bruce Highway and Caloundra Road.

The state government and developers Stockland split the bill for the road which provides an alternative route from the Bruce Highway to southern areas on the coast such as Caloundra South.

Shadforth Civil Contractors was tasked with building the road, with 15 per-cent of the asphalt used on the project recycled.

The $70m Bells Creek Arterial Road is now complete. Picture: Supplied

Ms Palaszczuk said the infrastructure will ease congestion across the region.

“This Bells Creek Road is 10 years ahead of schedule and it will mean so much for locals living, not just here, but also right across around Caloundra,” she said.

“This 11 kilometres of road will ease traffic congestion, I was just up here a month ago and I can see that the congestion was happening, especially getting onto the Bruce Highway.”

Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, and Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey at the opening of the Bells Creek Arterial Road.

Mr Bailey said the new route is an economic enabler for more housing in the region.

“This is a transformational project for the Sunshine Coast,” he said.

“The Bells Creek Arterial Road isn‘t just about taking pressure off Calandra road by creating a new connection to the Bruce Highway to the south, it also unlocks a whole lot of new housing development opportunities, which this community absolutely needs.”

Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt hailed the delivery of the project.

“It is the second access point to the Bruce Highway for Caloundra that we have been craving and yearning for the better part of five decades,” he said.

“I’ve called it repeatedly eight kilometres of good news because it is more than just a road project in Caloundra.”

The Bells Creek Arterial Road opened to traffic at 2pm on Tuesday, September 19.

Originally published as $70m Bells Creek Arterial Road extension opens to traffic