The Bruce Highway is Set for Major Safety Upgrades
Photo: The Bruce Highway is notorious for the bad condition of its road surface. (ABC News: Russel Talbot/Facebook)
The Albanese government has announced a $7.2 billion investment to improve safety and resilience along the Bruce Highway, which connects key regional centres such as Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, and Townsville. This critical route supports around 62 per cent of Queensland’s population and underpins the state’s economic and social connectivity.
The federal government says the funds will ensure priority sections of the highway meet a minimum three-star safety rating under the international road assessment system. Currently, nearly half the highway is rated at just two stars, posing significant safety risks to motorists.
Key sections targeted for upgrades include Maryborough to Benaraby, Rockhampton to St Lawrence, Bowen to Townsville, and Ingham to Innisfail. The funding will focus on installing safety barriers, widening road shoulders, creating additional overtaking lanes, and improving rest areas. Audible tactile line markings and wider centre lines will also be introduced to reduce head-on collisions by providing drivers with immediate feedback if they veer out of their lane.
In response to Queensland’s harsh weather conditions, the project will also prioritise resealing and rehabilitating sections of the highway damaged by floods and storms. These upgrades aim to make the Bruce Highway more resilient to future weather events and reduce costly disruptions.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King highlighted the importance of the project, stating, “This historic investment answers the call of Queenslanders to bring the Bruce Highway up to a three-star safety rating, so Australians stop losing their loved ones on this road.”
Critics have pointed out that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is using taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects to bolster his political campaign in Queensland, where road safety is a key issue. Despite earlier calls from the federal government for a 50:50 funding split, Labor will cover 80 per cent of the costs for these upgrades.
“Queensland deserves a long-term plan, and that is what my government is delivering,” Mr Albanese said, framing the investment as a critical step toward modernising one of the state’s most vital transport routes. While the upgrades are expected to save lives, the political debate over funding arrangements continues.
