Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra)

Overview:

This project involves a 61 km 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:

This project will be built in four sections:

  • Section A: Cooroy southern interchange to Sankeys Road
  • Section B: Sankeys Road to Traveston Road (the construction priority due to safety and traffic needs)
  • Section C: Traveston Road to Keefton Road
  • Section D: Keefton Road to Curra (Gympie bypass).

Section B

Section B is being delivered in three construction packages:

  • Package 1 (bulk earthworks): The bulk earthworks contract was awarded to Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd, with the first sod turned on 3 September 2009 by Federal Minister for Transport, Infrastructure, Regional Development and Local Government Anthony Albanese.
  • Package 2 (southern deviation): The second construction package involves a 2km southern deviation off the Bruce Highway between Sankeys Road and Middle Creek Road . A contract was awarded to Fulton Hogan in January 2010. The deviation will allow for construction of new bridges over Skyring Creek.
  • Package 3 (pavement, structures and finishing works): The third construction package involves construction of pavement, bridges and other remaining work as necessary for the new highway alignment to be opened to traffic. Package 3 will commence following completion of construction work for packages 1 and 2.

All work on Section B is expected to be complete in 2012, weather permitting.

Completion:
  • Preliminary works on Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road) began in July 2009 with the final relocation of services completed in November 2009.
  • The bulk earthworks contract was awarded to Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd, with the first sod turned on 3 September 2009 by Federal Minister for Transport, Infrastructure, Regional Development and Local Government Anthony Albanese. Anticipated completion for this section is 2012, weather permitting.
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 four-lane divided highway built to modern motorway standard, with the ability to be upgraded to six lanes.

Funding:

Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road): $613 million

Aerial of Section BView larger image

Project info

The selected 61 km 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.

Project cost

This project is on the national road network that the federal government has responsibility for funding:

  • in 2008 the federal government committed $200 million towards the Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra) project for planning and land acquisition
  • in May 2009 the federal government committed a further $488 million towards construction costs of the 12 km Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road)
  • in June 2009 the state committed $125 million for Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road) making the total for this section $613 million.

Key milestones

  • 2010 — January: Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Anthony Albanese and Main Roads Minister, Craig Wallace, announced Fulton Hogan was the successful contractor for the second construction contract, the southern deviation, on Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road). Construction is expected to begin in early 2010.
  • 2009 — September: Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Anthony Albanese, announced Abigroup Construction Pty Ltd was the successful contractor for the bulk earthworks contract on Section B and turned the first sod.
  • 2009 — August/September: construction on Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road) scheduled to commence
  • 2009 — May: the Prime Minister, along with the Treasurer and federal minister announced $488 million in funding for construction of Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road) 
  • 2009 — May: route review of the alignment for Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road), with the eastern alignment confirmed as the preferred route for the corridor
  • 2008 — September: federal minister endorses the proposed new alignment
  • 2008 — July: Strategic Planning Study completed and corridor announced
  • 2004 — January: Strategic Planning Study commenced

Strategic Planning Study

In 2008 the department released the Strategic Planning Study detailing the selected corridor for the 61 km upgrade of the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra, including a Gympie bypass.  It is one of Queensland's most important road projects, underpinning economic development and population growth.

The project serves the inter-regional traffic needs of the national road network, while catering to local traffic movements.

Click the map on the right-hand side to view the full sized image of the selected corridor.

Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra) corridor and possible future land requirements map

Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra) corridor map to print (PDF, 5.6 MB)

Proposed timetable

Section A (Cooroy southern interchange to Sankeys Road):

  • Planning (preliminary design) began in mid 2009 and will be completed late 2011
  • Design is proposed to begin in late 2011 and be completed in 2012
  • Construction timing is yet to be determined.

Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road):

  • Planning is complete
  • Design will be delivered progressively between late 2008 and late 2009 to enable construction to occur in three parts — (1) bulk earthworks, (2) southern temporary highway deviation and (3) the remaining pavement, drainage, bridge structures and finishing works
  • Major construction began in October 2009. It is proposed that all works will be completed in 2012, weather permitting.
    The alignment for Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road), which lies to the east of the existing Bruce Highway was outlined in the project's strategic planning study and endorsed by both the state and federal Ministers in September 2008. The Ministers reconfirmed in May 2009 that the alignment was a better alternative than upgrading the Bruce Highway closer to its current alignment. This project is not conditional upon the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam and will not be impacted by the Federal government’s decision to reject the dam proposal.

Sections C (Traveston Road to Keefton Road) and D (Keefton Road to Curra)

  • Specific timeframes for the final two stages of the Cooroy to Curra upgrade (Sections C and D) will be coordinated at a later date.

Contact details

For more information about this project, contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra) project team:

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

Community info

There has been ongoing engagement and consultation with the wider community, local government, key stakeholders and businesses throughout the strategic planning study. Future engagement and consultation will be focused on the affected areas as the designs are progressed and throughout construction.

Community updates

Bruce Highway (Cooroy to Curra)

Section B (Sankeys Road to Traveston Road)

Last reviewed: 17 December 2009