Bruce Highway

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has released a ten-year, $4.1bn capital works programme to further improve safety, reduce travel times, lower congestion and improve flood immunity on the Bruce Highway.

The work, which takes the total commitment to the highway to $5.7bn, will also cut transportation costs and improve national productivity.

Some of the major projects that will be implemented as a result of the funding boost include Yeppen south floodplain upgrade, Mackay northern access upgrade, Mackay ring road, Rockhampton northern access corridor, Yeppoon Road to Boundary Road, and North Queensland flood immunity package.

Bruce Highway is one of the vital north-south transport links in Queensland, extending a distance of 1,700km and connecting Brisbane to the state’s major regional and coastal communities.

Around 500,000 motorists and truck drivers use the road every day. Major cities along the highway’s route include Maryborough, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, and Cairns.

Image: Around 500,000 motorists and truck drivers use Bruce Highway every day. Photo: courtesy of Frances76.