Cairns Western Arterial Road, Redlynch Connector Road to Captain Cook Highway, duplication

The department is undertaking a $300 million project to duplicate the Cairns Western Arterial Road between Redlynch Connector Road and Captain Cook Highway.

In October 2020, the Queensland Government committed to a $60 million upgrade of Cairns Western Arterial Road between Redlynch Connector Road and Kamerunga Road.

On 10 May 2021, the Australian Government committed a further $240 million to upgrade the remaining single lane sections of Cairns Western Arterial Road as part of the federal budget.

Benefits

  • Improves safety
  • Increases capacity
  • Improves network efficiency
  • Increases traffic flow
  • Reduces peak hour congestion
  • Reduces travel time
  • Contributes to economy
  • Contributes to regional growth
  • Better active transport

Key features

  • Upgrade of the section of the Cairns Western Arterial Road (CWAR) between Redlynch Connector Road and Captain Cook Highway to a 4-lane dual carriageway.
  • Duplication of the rail overpass at Redlynch.
  • Duplication of the Kamerunga Bridge over the Barron River.

Funding

The project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments on an 80:20 (federal:state) basis. Investment ID 1810618

As part of the 2023–24 Federal Budget, the Australian Government announced it is undertaking a 90-day review of Australian Government funded infrastructure projects. The department is awaiting the outcomes of this review, in order to determine impacts on jointly funded projects.

Total investment
$300 million
Australian Government
$240 million
Queensland Government
$60 million

Current status

Detailed design for the project commenced in April 2022.

The project will be carried out in 3 sections:

  • Lake Placid Road to Captain Cook Highway (Section 1)
  • Redlynch Connector Road to Harley Street, including duplication of the rail overpass at Redlynch (Section 2)
  • Harley Street to Lake Placid Road, including a new Barron River bridge (Section 3).

Staging of these works will help minimise impacts to road users during construction. 

Concept layout map

CWAR project map

Download a PDF version of the Cairns Western Arterial Road, Redlynch Connector Road to Captain Cook Highway, duplication concept layout map.