- A local accident blackspot at Bruce Highway intersection with Farleigh Habana Road will be upgraded as part of the $9 billion Bruce Highway upgrade program.
- Upgrades to include a safety redesign, with better access and greater capacity for heavy vehicles.
- The Crisafulli Government is continuing to put upgrades in the fast lane, with the Bruce Highway Advisory Council to meet today, for planning works to identify future upgrades.
- The upgrades will be delivered under the 80:20 funding deal secured by the Crisafulli Government, for Bruce Highway upgrades from Gympie to Cairns.
A notorious Bruce Highway intersection blackspot, at Farleigh Habana Road, is set to benefit from a major safety upgrade, under the $9 billion Bruce Highway upgrade program jointly delivered by the Crisafulli and Albanese Governments.
The intersection will be reconfigured to improve safety and boost capacity, with the road widened to improve safe heavy vehicle access.
Farleigh Habana Road intersection with the Bruce Highway is a known crash hotspot, with four hospitalisations following serious incidents in the past decade, and many more accidents.
Planning and design will now commence for the upgrade, with construction expected to commence in 2027.
This project is just one of 52 projects in the next phase of Bruce Highway projects set to commence either planning and design, or construction, in coming months.
It comes as the Bruce Highway Advisory Council will today meet, to identify the next phase of priority projects under the $9 billion program.
The Council was disbanded under the former Labor Government, but reestablished by the Crisafulli Government to deliver expert advice on priority areas for safety upgrades, to lift the safety of the Bruce Highway between Gympie and Cairns.
All upgrades to the Bruce Highway will be delivered under a restored 80:20 funding deal with the Federal Government, something the former Government failed to fight for and failed to secure for Queensland.
Premier David Crisafulli said the Government was delivering a safer Bruce Highway for the Mackay-Whitsundays region.
“We are delivering the safer Bruce Highway that regional Queensland has demanded and waited too long for,” Premier Crisafulli said.
“This is about getting Queenslanders home sooner and safer, starting with the worst blackspots to boost safety on the Bruce.”
Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm said Mackay and the Whitsundays, like many regional communities, were forgotten by the former Labor Government.
“The Bruce Highway and Farleigh Habana Road intersection is notoriously dangerous, and these overdue upgrades for our community will deliver a major boost to safety,” she said.
“In addition to saving lives, this investment is ensuring we have the regional connectivity to support our tourism, mining and agricultural industries.”
Member for Mackay Nigel Dalton said he was proud to be part of a government delivering for regional communities.
“These upgrades to the Bruce Highway are something the community has been calling for and now thanks to the Government securing a $9 billion program, it’s getting the critical upgrades it needs,” Mr Dalton said.
