$7.2b committed by Federal government to lift Bruce Highway safety rating
By Kirra Livingstone
THE Federal Government has committed an additional $7.2 billion towards upgrading the Bruce Highway to improve its safety rating and bring down the road toll.
This comes as Queensland recorded its highest road toll in over a decade, with 302 people dying on the state’s roads in 2024.
The last time the road toll surpassed 300 was in 2009.
This is the largest cash injection ever into fixing and improving the Bruce Highway, building on a total of $17b committed from the federal government.
According to the Department of Transport and Main Roads, $9b of funding is needed to achieve a three out of five star safety rating. With the federal government’s recent announcement, 80 per cent of the cost to improve the safety rating will be covered by the federal government.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King, called on the Queensland Government to partner with them and commit 20 per cent of the $9b needed to complete the upgrades.
“Almost half the Bruce has a 2 star safety rating and that’s not good enough,” she said.
“This historic investment answers the call of Queenslanders to bring the Bruce up to a 3 star safety rating so Australians stop losing their loved ones on this road.”
The $7.2b will fast track critical projects along the whole highway, and will first focus on priority sections north of Gympie which have higher crash rates.
Priority sections include Maryborough to Benaraby, Rockhampton to St Lawrence, Bowen to Townsville and Ingham to Innisfail. Ms King didn’t comment specifically on the Sunshine Coast section of the Bruce Highway, but emphasised the funding will benefit critical projects along the whole corridor.
“The identification and prioritisation of projects will be agreed in consultation with the Queensland Government and the Bruce Highway Advisory Council,” she said.
Highway upgrades may include installing safety barriers, constructing wider shoulders and overtaking lanes. Stakeholders including RACQ and the Queensland Government have welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement.
RACQ CEO, David Carter, said without the funding, motorists in Queensland will be at risk.“Queenslanders are three to five times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash on the Bruce Highway compared to the Pacific Highway in New South Wales and Hume Highway in Victoria,” he said.
“Queensland has 180,000km of roads and while the 1,673km-long Bruce Highway makes up less than 1 per cent of that network it accounts for more than 10 per cent of the road toll.
“When New South Wales and Victoria had their major national highways fixed, the Federal Government covered at least 80 per cent of the funding needed, now it’s the Bruce’s turn for serious funding.”
The newly elected Liberal Queensland Government re-established the Bruce Highway Advisory Council, to highlight the highway’s safety issues.
State Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg, said this was a win for Queensland.
“Queensland deserves better than a second-class highway,” he said.
“One of my key priorities as Minister for Transport and Main Roads is to deliver a long-term upgrade plan to bring the Bruce Highway up to safety standards.
“The return to an 80:20 funding split is a welcomed commitment from the Federal Government to enable our delivery of a safer Bruce.”
kirra@gcnews.com.au
