Australia’s Queensland Government has selected the Nexus consortium to deliver the A$1.6bn ($1.2bn) Toowoomba Second Range Crossing project.

The Nexus consortium includes Transfield Services, Plenary Group, Cintra Infraestructuras Internacional, Acciona Concesiones, Acciona Infrastructure Australia and Ferrovial Agroman Australia.

The consortium, which will now work closely with the Queensland government to finalise contractual documentation, will be responsible for providing road design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions for the 41km highway in Toowoomba.

"The lifestyle and economic benefits this project will deliver to the Darling Downs region and Queensland are significant and will be welcomed by all Queenslanders."

Construction under this project is expected to be initiated later this year and is scheduled to be completed by late 2018.

The project will improve traffic conditions in the region, particularly reducing the number of heavy vehicles travelling through the Toowoomba city centre.

Queensland treasurer Curtis Pitt said: "This project is expected to support more than 1,800 full-time equivalent jobs during the three and a half year construction phase.

"The lifestyle and economic benefits this project will deliver to the Darling Downs region and Queensland are significant and will be welcomed by all Queenslanders."

The proposed design solution of the consortium includes four lanes (two lanes each way) from Warrego Highway East Interchange at Helidon to Warrego Highway West, grade-separated interchanges at Warrego Highway West, Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road and Gore Highway, and a separated connection to Mort Street.

The project will also include a 30m cutting at the top of Toowoomba Second Range as an alternative to the tunnel solution as detailed in the reference design, construction of an 800m viaduct built over the existing Queensland Rail line, and continuity of the New England Highway through a new bridge over the cutting.

For this project, the Australian and Queensland Governments have committed up to A$1.28bn ($959m) and A$321m ($240m) respectively.

The Toowoomba Second Range Crossing will be a toll road with tolling arrangements to be finalised closer to the road’s official opening in late 2018.