Peak Downs Highway bridges complete

Four new bridges at Fiery, Boundary, Lonely and Cut Creeks on the Peak Downs Highway between Eton and Nebo in Queensland are now fully complete and open to traffic, helping to keep the region open for business during wet weather.

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the four new bridges would greatly improve connectivity for all road users, particularly during wet weather.

“The new bridges will improve the safety and reliability for people driving the Peak Downs Highway, as well as reduce ongoing maintenance costs compared to the old timber bridges, making this a significant long-term investment in the region’s road network,” Mr Bailey said.

“An average of 114 jobs have been supported over the life of the project in a boost for employment in the region.”

Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said the upgrades, which received $35 million from the Bridges Renewal Program, would improve conditions for all traffic.

“This project saw old timber bridges replaced with concrete structures with increased width and load bearing capacity. They have also been raised to withstand one-in-50-year flood events,” Ms Landry said.

“These wider bridges will provide greater separation between heavy vehicles and other motorists, improving safety for everyone.

“With the completion of the last bridge, this stretch of highway between Eton and Nebo is now better equipped to deal with wet weather events, improving safety and reliability for Central Queenslanders.

“The Australian Government has put $420 million on the table for the Bridges Renewal Program between 2015–16 and 2020–21 to improve access and travel times for communities, businesses and regional industries.

“Drivers will continue to see activity on each site, with works to remove the old bridges and roadway continuing for some time.”

The Australian and Queensland governments are each providing $35 million towards the $70 million project. For further information on the Bridges Renewal Program, visit http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/funding/Bridgesrenewal/Index.aspx.

Media Contact for Mr Bailey:                   Dominic Geiger                0447 355 565