Bruce Highway, Cairns Southern Access Corridor (Stage 4), Kate Street to Aumuller Street, widen to six lanes
The Bruce Highway Cairns Southern Access Corridor from Kate Street (renamed Links Drive) to Aumuller Street has been upgraded to a 6-lane dual carriageway. Additional works included upgrades through to Draper Street and Kenny Street.
The Bruce Highway—Cairns Southern Access Corridor Stage 4: Kate Street to Aumuller Street project is part of the 15-year Bruce Highway Upgrade Program, a $13 billion program of works to improve safety, flood resilience and capacity along the Bruce Highway from Brisbane to Cairns. The program is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 basis.
Benefits
- Improves safety
- Increases capacity
- Improves network efficiency
- Increases traffic flow
- Reduces peak hour congestion
- Better road access
- Reduces travel time
- Contributes to economy
- Better active transport
- Improves ride quality
Key features
- The Bruce Highway between Kate Street (renamed Links Drive) and Buchan Street has been widened to 6 lanes.
- A new 3 lane inbound bridge was constructed to replace the existing 2-lane inbound bridge and the existing outbound bridge has been widened from 2 to 3 lanes.
- A new off-road shared pathway was constructed between Ruth Street and Aumuller Street.
- The signalised intersections at Lyons Street and Aumuller Street have been upgraded with additional turning lanes.
- The Draper/Kenny Street roundabout was upgraded to a signalised intersection with a new double left turn for outbound traffic.
Funding
This project was jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 (federal:state) basis. Investment ID 384407
- Total investment
- $123.7 million
- Australian Government
- $98.96 million
- Queensland Government
- $24.74 million
Current status
The Bruce Highway, Cairns Southern Access Corridor (Stage 4), Kate Street to Aumuller Street project was completed July 2021.


Artist's impression of the completed Chinaman Creek Bridge
Artist's impression of the Bruce Highway and Aumuller Street intersection

Artist's impression of the intersection of Bruce Highway and Lyons Street
Project map
Video transcript
Bruce Highway – Cairns Southern Access Corridor – Stage 4: Kate Street to Aumuller Street Project
Engineers Australia site visit
Members visited for an information sharing and networking opportunity
They discussed Rapid Impact Compaction and wick drains, ground surface treatments
Wick drains are installed to speed up ground settlement
Wick drains allow water to rise under the weight of surcharge material
Visitors were provided with up close explanations
Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC) method
Compressing an old landfill site
A 7-tonne hammer strikes a 1.5m plate
Site visits facilitate understanding of major construction projects and support industry development
Project timeline
2010
Cairns Bruce Highway Master Plan released
2015
Project funding announced
May 2018
Design process completed
August 2018
Contract awarded to Georgiou Koppen Joint Venture
August 2018
Start of works
September 2019
Chinaman Creek bridge construction commenced
Late 2020
Bridge works complete
July 2021
Construction completed
Chinaman Creek bridge construction
Video Transcript
Construction of the new inbound bridge over Chinaman Creek on the Bruce Highway and widening of the existing outbound bridge to 3 lanes.
Construction shown as a time-lapse video clip beginning in 2018 and ending in 2021.
Kenny and Draper Streets intersection upgrade
Video Transcript
Upgrade of the Kenny Street and Draper Street roundabout into a 4 legged signalised intersection with dual outbound slip lanes.
Construction shown as a time-lapse video beginning in 2019 and ending in 2021.
Project flythrough
Video Transcript
We are upgrading the Bruce Highway – Cairns Southern Access Corridor – from Kate Street (renamed Links Drive) to Aumuller Street.
This is one of the busiest sections of the Bruce Highway in the Cairns region accommodating 35,000 vehicles per day.
Improvements along this corridor will enhance travel and improve efficiency, providing better connections which means more reliable travel times for Cairns motorists.
At Chinaman Creek the current inbound bridge will be replaced with a new 3 lane bridge and the existing outbound bridge widened to 3 lanes.
We’re widening this section of the highway from 4 to 6 lanes which will provide motorists with quicker, safer and less congestion, into and out of Cairns CBD along this route.
Better, safer facilities will be provided for cyclists and pedestrians with a new off-road shared pathway.
Upgrades to the Lyons Street and Aumuller Street intersections will include additional turning lanes to improve traffic flow for motorists.
Works from Comport Street to Kenny Street include an upgrade of the existing roundabout at Draper Street and Kenny Street to a signalised intersection, with a new double left turn for outbound traffic.
This $104.1 million-dollar upgrade is currently under construction and will be completed by mid-2021.
We’re committed to bringing you a more efficient highway motoring experience, to get you where you need to be safely and on time.
Outbound bridge widening time lapse video
Video Transcript
Cairns Southern Access Corridor
Kate Street to Aumuller Street Project
Outbound bridge deck installation, Chinaman Creek
28 deck units were installed to add a third lane
Engineers Australia Site Visit
Video Transcript
Bruce Highway – Cairns Southern Access Corridor – Stage 4: Kate Street to Aumuller Street Project
Engineers Australia site visit
Members visited for an information sharing and networking opportunity
They discussed Rapid Impact Compaction and wick drains, ground surface treatments
Wick drains are installed to speed up ground settlement
Wick drains allow water to rise under the weight of surcharge material
Visitors were provided with up close explanations
Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC) method
Compressing an old landfill site
Chinaman Creek Bridge Decking Unit Installation Time-lapse
Video Transcript
Cairns Southern Access Corridor
Kate Street to Aumuller Street Project
Chinaman Creek bridge – bridge decking installation
Liners Installation Time-lapse
Video Transcript
Building a bridge.
Bruce Highway – Cairns Southern Access Corridor – Stage 4: Kate Street to Aumuller Street Project.
This is a 30-tonne excavator.
With a vibrating head attachment.
The steel pipes are driven down 4 metres.
They reserve space for bridge supports.
Rapid Impact Compaction (RIC) technique used on site
Video Transcript
Contract Administrator, Andrew McIlveen.
RIC is an acronym that stands for Rapid Impact Compaction.
It involves a machine, an excavator, a 50 tonne excavator, that has a purpose-built attachment that undertakes what is called Rapid Impact Compaction.
Its purpose is to, basically compact loose materials in the ground underneath where we are trying to build the road.
The design for the site and, based on the fact that we are building on an old landfill site, requires that we undertake RIC at about two-meter centres.
It's not a common construction technique and in fact this is a first for Cairns. This type of equipment and machinery has not been in this region before.