The proposed Tiaro Bypass on the Bruce Highway has locked in further funding from the Queensland Government. The new $46 million funding from the 2021-22 State Budget is in addition to the funding commitment from the Australian Government announced earlier this month.
This brings the total joint funding for the Bruce Highway upgrade at Tiaro to over $336 million – which is part of the $883 million joint investment to boost the Bruce Highway upgrade budget.
“There is now $13 billion in joint funding committed to continue upgrades on priority sections of the 1,700km Bruce Highway over the coming decade.
“We’re laying plenty of new bitumen on the Bruce, with 48 projects in construction and a further 154 projects in planning that will follow those.
“The extra Bruce funding supports our plan to target upgrades between Gladstone and Rockhampton, north of Townsville and build four lanes at Tiaro,” Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said.
Minister Bailey added that the State Government is delivering a pipeline of projects that will support hundreds of jobs over the next few years in the Wide Bay region. These works include the $1 billion Gympie Bypass that commenced construction last year as well as the upcoming $107 million Bruce Highway upgrade at Saltwater Creek, north of Maryborough, which is anticipated to support 286 jobs.
“That pipeline gives local workers and businesses in the supply chain certainty that funding will be flowing, and is an important part of Queensland’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
“While those upgrades are being delivered, TMR will work on a new design for the four-lane project, so that we’re ready to start building the Tiaro Bypass and offer more local job opportunities when the other upgrades finish,” Minister Bailey said.
With additional funding now secured, designs for the Tiaro Bypass project will have to be revised to include another two lanes to make a four-lane corridor. The re-designing process is expected to run until late 2022.
“TMR has already done a significant amount of work on planning and design, including consulting with the local community.
“We’ll keep the community updated throughout that process and hope to have a concept design to show them later this year before the team moves into the detailed design stage.
“So, it’s back to the drawing board to some extent, but in the end it means Tiaro will get a much better four lane highway upgrade that is safer and less congested,” Member for Maryborough and Assistant Minister for Regional Roads Bruce Saunders said.
The estimated cost of the Tiaro Bypass is currently $336 million, although the value is going to be revised as the development moves through the design phase where more detailed information will be available.
The total Queensland Government funding commitment for the Tiaro Bypass is now $67.4 million. On the other hand, the Australian Government committed an additional $183 million, taking its total investment to $268.8 million.
Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements; Queensland Government – Department of Transport and Main Roads