Report finalised for major Bruce Highway upgrade from Cooroy to Curra

The Queensland Government has finalised a planning study for a major upgrade of the Bruce Highway from Cooroy to Curra.

Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said the planning study report presented a detailed outline and justification of the selected corridor for the new highway.

The report, which has been forwarded to the Federal Government for consideration, was developed following extensive public consultation.

A Community Consultative Committee and five community focus groups representing each section of the proposed 65km highway upgrade and eastern bypass of Gympie had contributed to the planning study report.

“This is not just an engineering report. It also reflects the participation of affected communities in the planning phase for this project,” Mr Pitt said.

“With their help, what’s emerged is a plan for a safe, quality four-lane road that meets future inter-regional traffic projections while preserving the local lifestyle advantages that people obviously value highly."

The Cooroy to Curra corridor makes the most use of public land and will be located with other services, such as powerlines and the railway line.

A corridor east of Gympie will provide good access to local industry and businesses and better access to a developing coastal region. An extensive service road network will exist to support the highway so that, people will have convenient access to local facilities.

Mr Pitt praised the role the community had played in shaping the final corridor.

“Identifying the final corridor has been a complex process and has involved extensive consultation," Mr Pitt said

“I’d like to thank the community for its significant involvement during this important process. The Australian and Queensland governments will now consider how best to advance this project.”

Mr Pitt said the project would now move into the design stage, which would involve further community consultation on issues such as acquisition of land, property access connection, traffic noise, lighting and landscaping.

“Queensland had submitted a draft of the planning study report to the Federal Government earlier this year, but now that the final report has been concluded it means that the project can now formally move to its next stage," Mr Pitt said.

“The Federal Government has committed an initial $200 million towards upgrading this stretch of the Bruce Highway. Its overall cost is a lot more – at least $2 billion in today’s terms – but the most important thing is to get it started.”

The final corridor incorporates many of the elements of the proposed corridor that went on public display last March, including the retention of the existing stretch of highway for local travel, access to properties and emergency use.

An example of the value of community input is the alterations to the proposed interchange south of Gympie, which will now become a multi-direction interchange providing entry and exit points for motorists heading north and south.

Another is a revised alignment through the Curra State Forest to reduce the impact on landowners and eliminate a need to realign Old Maryborough Road.

Mr Pitt said the Cudgerie Drive/Cooroy Connection Road junction remained the site for a southern interchange, but the use of low-noise asphalt, earth mounds and downward directional lighting would be examined to alleviate community concerns about possible impacts.

The location and arrangement for the proposed Traveston interchange will also be reviewed during detailed planning for the proposed Traveston Crossing dam and opportunities investigated to achieve the best overall community benefit.

A section of the selected corridor rests within the proposed dam's eastern edge on land that has been purchased as part of the dam’s buffer area.

The planning study report is available on the Queensland Main Roads website and at the Main Roads office in Gympie. The weblink for the report online is:

www.mainroads.qld.gov.au/roadprojects/ Bruce Highway (Corooy to Curra) Strategic Planning Study.

Cooroy to Curra strategic planning study – major highlights

Full route: The only access to the new highway will be via interchanges that are planned at Cudgerie Drive, Traveston Road, near Keefton Road, Gympie Connection Road and Curra. The new highway will cross local roads via bridges and underpasses. The existing highway will remain in place as an arterial road to provide access to local roads and properties.

Cooroy to Black Mountain: The existing two-lane highway will be duplicated on the western side, as previously planned. An interchange at Mary River Road was considered but not included because the interchange at Cudgerie Drive will provide greater benefits to the community. Residents’ concerns about traffic noise and lighting at Cudgerie Drive will be addressed during the design phase.

Black Mountain to Federal: The corridor is on the western side of the existing highway.

Federal to Traveston Road: The corridor is mainly within the buffer area to the east of the proposed Traveston Crossing dam. If the dam does not proceed, there will be further investigation of an alternative corridor near the existing highway, as favoured by the community.

Traveston Road to Keefton Road: The corridor follows a high tension power line easement, as favoured by the community. The interchange near Keefton Road will include north-facing ramps, as favoured by local business operators.

Keefton Road to Old Maryborough Road: The corridor is close to the railway line, on the eastern side. The possible need to upgrade local roads between the Gympie Connection Road interchange and the Gympie town centre will be considered during the design phase.

Old Maryborough Road to Curra: The corridor has been moved to the east to use land in the Curra State Forest rather than private land, as favoured by the community. This avoids the need to realign Old Maryborough Road. The corridor connects to the existing highway at Curra, just north of the railway bridge.

Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819