Dept of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications
Bruce Highway, Mackay Ring Road Integration Complete
The Mackay Ring Road to Bald Hill Road Connection project has now been completed, ensuring that transport infrastructure along the north Queensland coastal region is better integrated and supporting safer road journeys.
This project has delivered a duplicated section of the Bruce Highway between the Mackay Ring Road and Bald Hill Road, improving safety and efficiency for people travelling through Glenella.
The upgrade provides a consistent journey for drivers by extending the duplication from the Mackay Northern Access Upgrade which was completed in September 2022, through to the Mackay Ring Road roundabout.
Key features of the completed works include two new dual-lane overpass bridges and a new port rail overpass as well as an upgraded intersection at Bald Hill Road.
To minimise disruption to the 12,000 vehicles that use this section of the highway daily, a unique top-down temporary fill method was used during bridge construction which enabled works to continue without the need for road closures on the Bruce Highway.
The three overpass bridges required approximately 620 tonnes of reinforced steel.
The project is estimated to have supported an average of 534 direct jobs over its duration.
The $87 million Mackay Ring Road to Bald Hill Road project was funded with a $69.6 million commitment from the Australian Government and a $17.4 million commitment from the Queensland Government.
The project is a continuation of the more than $410 million Mackay Ring Road construction project, which was completed in 2020.
The Australian Government contributed $328.3 million to that project, with the Queensland Government providing over $82 million.
https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/integration-bruce-highway-mackay-ring-road-complete