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Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra)

Overview:

This project involves a 61km upgrade and realignment of the Bruce Highway, including a bypass of Gympie, and is one of Queensland's highest priority road projects. It is designed to meet strategic transport needs of the Gympie Region into the future.

Location:

For construction purposes the project is being constructed in 4 sections:

  • Section A (Cooroy southern interchange to Sankeys Road)
  • Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road)
  • Section C (Traveston Road to Keefton Road)
  • Section D (Keefton Road to Curra) includes Gympie bypass.
Completion:

Section A

  • It is anticipated that construction will begin in June 2013 and be completed in 2016.

Section B (constructed first for safety reasons)

  • Preliminary works started on Section B in July 2009 with the completion of major works and highway commissioning occurring in December 2012.
Benefits:

This upgrade will separate long distance from local traffic movements to allow the highway to function as a high-speed, high-volume corridor. It will be a 4-lane divided highway built to modern motorway standards, with the ability to be upgraded to 6 lanes in future.

Funding:

Cooroy to Curra (Sections A,C & D) – progression of planning, design and land acquisition: $200 million (federal)

  • Section A: construction $790 million ($395 million state, $395 million federal)
  • Section B: construction $513 million ($125 million state, $388 million federal)
Regions:
Wide Bay Burnett Region, North Coast Region

Project info

The selected 61km route for the new corridor from Cooroy to Curra has been designed to create a safer, more efficient highway. It restricts direct driveway access, maintains adequate spacing between intersections and interchanges and divides opposing lanes of traffic. The corridor was developed in close consultation with the wider community, local councils and other stakeholders.

It will address key issues identified in the Strategic Planning Study, which contribute to poor safety and reduced transport efficiency on the existing stretch of highway.

Detailed maps of Bruce Highway Upgrade (Cooroy to Curra)

Bruce Highway Upgrade (Cooroy to Curra): key plan Click the map on the right-hand side to view the key plan of the Cooroy to Curra corridor.

Project Summary

Section A (Cooroy southern interchange to Sankeys Road)

Section A will provide a 4-lane divided highway between Cooroy and Federal, that will meet capacity and efficiency demands to support long-term road freight and transport needs in the region, the upgrade also supports safe, high speed travel and offers improved access to regional townships and greater flood immunity.

Operational deficiencies on the existing highway within Section A include an unsatisfactory safety record, growing traffic congestion and emerging rapid growth making upgrading this section of the Bruce Highway.

Community feedback has been considered along with other key factors such as safety, operational efficiency, constructability and minimising environmental impacts, when developing the design for Section A.

Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road)

A new 12km 4-lane divided highway between Federal and Traveston, with capacity to be upgraded to 6 lanes in the future.

Features include:

  • a new interchange at Traveston to provide safe, efficient access to and from the existing road network.
  • a new road into the Mary Valley from Traveston (the Mary Valley Link Road) to improve access to the valley, particularly during periods of flooding and provide a safe alternative to the existing Traveston Crossing Road which has a history of crashes where it intersects with the Bruce Highway.
  • a realignment of the western end of Traveston Road now connects it to the new interchange. The existing intersection of Traveston Road and the Bruce Highway has been closed and turned into a cul-de-sac.

The Old Bruce Highway remains as an alternative for local road users wishing to travel between Federal and Traveston.

Section C (Traveston Road to Keefton Road)

 A new 11km 4-lane divided highway between Traveston and just south of Gympie. The road corridor for this section follows an alignment to the east of the existing Bruce Highway with the possibility of an all directional interchange just south of Keefton Road. 

Section D (Keefton Road to Curra)

A new 26km 4-lane divided highway from just south of Gympie, to Curra. This section includes a bypass of Gympie with the corridor running east of the town, close to the railway line until Old Maryborough Road, then it will travel through the edge of Curra State Forest to minimise the impact on private land.

Contact details

Email: brucehwyc2c@tmr.qld.gov.au
Phone: 1800 180 566 (freecall within Australia)
Post: Reply Paid 64
Bruce Highway Upgrade (Cooroy to Curra)
PO Box 183
Gympie QLD 4570

Community info

There was ongoing engagement and consultation with the wider community, local government, key stakeholders and businesses throughout the Strategic Planning Study.

The department has maintained close contact with property owners and residents in close proximity to the Cooroy to Curra project, keeping them informed on the progress of the upgrade.

Cooroy to Curra project newsletters

Section A (Cooroy southern interchange to Sankeys Road)

Project updates

Posters

Environmental Management

The Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP) for the Giant Barred Frog (Mixophyes iteratus) and the Mary River Cod (Maccullochella mariensis) for Section A was approved by the federal Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities on 1 August 2012.

The CEMP outlines measures the department and its contractors will take to mitigate construction impacts on habitat for these species.

Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road)

Fact sheets

Project updates

Last updated
19 April 2013