The Bruce Highway – Gympie Widening project was a significant infrastructure enhancement located 160 kilometres north of Brisbane. The project involved the widening of the Bruce Highway from two to four lanes between Channon and Pine Streets, alongside upgrading three signalised intersections. This development was crucial for facilitating local growth and improving the connectivity between residential and commercial sectors in Gympie, all while ensuring minimal disruption to the heavy traffic flow typical of the area.
Overall, works involved four laning of the Bruce Highway, north and south-bound turning lanes, improvements to three signalised intersections, traffic signals, medians, footpaths, driveways, retaining walls, drainage, culverts, signage, line marking, services relocations, lighting, and landscaping. Traffic management and sequencing were critical to the success of the project and community relations.
Innovation: CMC introduced an innovative pavement design which accommodated the current traffic load and allowed for anticipated increases in traffic volume, providing a sustainable Whole of Life solution that exceeded initial expectations.
Safety: Operations were conducted under live traffic conditions, managing over 20,700 vehicles per day, including a significant number of heavy vehicles. The strategic traffic management and staging minimised disruption and maintained high safety standards throughout the project duration.
Community Engagement: A dedicated community liaison officer was employed to proactively address the needs and concerns of local residents and businesses. The team’s effective communication and swift resolution of over 80% of community issues within 24 hours highlighted their commitment to maintaining positive community relations.
Economic: The project was delivered one month ahead of schedule and 12% under the budget set by TMR. The team’s approach received commendation from both the local council and the community.
