Bruce Highway (Brisbane - Gympie), Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway, upgrade
Major construction is complete on the Bruce Highway – Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway project. The highway has been upgraded to 6 lanes between Caloundra Road and the Sunshine Motorway. This includes major upgrades to both interchanges and a new 2-way service road for local traffic between Steve Irwin Way and Tanawha Tourist Drive.
The upgrade was delivered to provide vital infrastructure that will support the growth of the Sunshine Coast region well into the future.
The upgrade separates long distance traffic from local traffic, allowing the highway to function as a high-speed, high-volume corridor. It also ensures improved flood immunity of the corridor.
Benefits
- Improves safety
- Increases traffic flow
- Increases capacity
- Contributes to regional growth
- Improves network efficiency
- Reduces peak hour congestion
- Improves flood immunity
- Better road access
Key features
- A new southbound exit ramp from the Bruce Highway to Pignata Road to provide safe and direct access to the local road network, as well as a future connection to the Harmony development in Palmview.
- A Diverging Diamond Interchange to replace the existing Caloundra Road interchange.
- Reduction of the project footprint on the former Beerwah State Forest.
- New free-flowing, grade separated ramps replacing the existing intersection on the old Bruce Highway northbound exit ramp to the Sunshine Motorway near Wilson Road.
- A secondary access to the western service road at the Sunshine Motorway interchange for northbound traffic on the Bruce Highway.
- Direct access to the Sippy Downs interchange from the western service road for local traffic.
- New active transport infrastructure for bike riders and pedestrians, as well as new car pool and bus stop facilities.
Bruce Highway Upgrade—Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway: final design layout
Funding
The project was funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 (federal:state) basis. QTRIP Investment ID: 12677
- Total investment
- $932 million
- Australian Government
- $745.6 million
- Queensland Government
- $186.4 million
Bruce Highway Upgrade—Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway: project flyover
Construction time lapse video
Caloundra Road interchange
In an Australian first, the Caloundra Road interchange has been transformed into a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) through this project. The new interchange became fully operational in December 2020, with all lanes and ramps open to traffic. The DDI's innovative design was cost effective because it minimised the project footprint (required fewer bridges and roads) while tackling congestion, increasing capacity, improving safety and providing active transport connections.How the Caloundra Road interchange works
Map 1—To and from Caloundra and Landsborough
Map 2—Brisbane to Caloundra, Caloundra to Gympie and Gympie to Landsborough
Map 3—To and from Frizzo Connection Road
Sustainable and active transport infrastructure
A key consideration of the project was improving connectivity to provide safe and sustainable travel between Caloundra Road, Steve Irwin Way and Tanawha Tourist Drive.
Bike riding and pedestrian facilities
A new dedicated pedestrian and bike riding bridge next to the existing Sippy Downs interchange opened in April 2021. The bridge improves safety and access to the educational, business and residential precincts at Sippy Downs.
More than 9km of new dedicated lanes and pathways for bike riders and pedestrians have been built throughout the project area. These are shown by the yellow lines in the design layout (PDF, 3.63 MB).
The final section of path opened at Caloundra Road interchange in July 2021. These lanes and pathways for bike riders and pedestrians:
- extends access from Caloundra Road at Meridan Plains, through the new Diverging Diamond Interchange to link with Steve Irwin Way at Glenview
- provides a major new pathway running the entire length of the new western service road from Glenview in the south to Sippy Downs in the north
- improves access to the local road network.
Pignata Road car pool facility
The new car pool facility between the Bruce Highway and Pignata Road at Palmview opened to the public in late 2017 and is used daily by commuters.
Catering for 240 vehicles in a safe, well-lit location, commuters are able to park their vehicles and travel with their colleagues, family and friends to destinations both north and south of the coast.
The facility connects to bus stops, local businesses and the Aussie World precinct via a new pedestrian path.
Environmental management
We consulted with the community, key stakeholders and all levels of government on environmental issues relating to the project. Through this consultation, we successfully managed the project’s environmental impacts throughout the design and construction stages of the project.
As part of this consultation, we engaged with numerous environmental and community groups to share information and gain feedback.
Key local representatives included:
- Save the Steve Irwin Way Forest Group
- Sunshine Coast Environment Council
- Mooloolah River Water Watch and Landcare Group
- Wildlife Preservation Society, Sunshine Coast Branch
- Queensland Koala Crusaders
- Sunshine Coast Koala Rescue
- Kabi Kabi First Nation.
Compliance reports
Major construction
Major construction concluded in July 2021.
