Tenders called for $38m Bruce Highway—Tinana Interchange upgrade

Tenders are now open for the $38 million Bruce Highway—Tinana Interchange upgrade project, the latest upgrade under the $8.5b Bruce Highway Upgrade Programme.  Here are the key take-aways you need to know about the project scope, timeframes and tender information. 

Industry opinions

The release of the tender is considered a major milestone for the Fraser Coast, delivering improved safety and operational efficiency and supporting future growth in the Wide Bay/Burnett region. 

Queensland Minister for Main Roads and Road Safety Mark Bailey said the project was on track to start in mid-2016 and be completed in mid-2017: 

“The upgrade is expected to reduce the number and severity of crashes, reduce maintenance costs and vehicle operating costs, and enable the speed limit to be increased which will improve travel times,” Mr Bailey said.

“118 jobs will be created over the life of the project and once the contract has been awarded we will continue to engage with the community and commuters about how the works could affect them.”

Federal Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss said the call for tenders meant highway users would soon experience the benefits of the upgrade.

“The Tinana Interchange upgrade will see a new northbound off-ramp and overpass structure which will require motorists to exit to the left instead of the right.

“Both through lanes of Bruce Highway traffic will travel under the new overpass and be separated by a wide centre line treatment.”

Project Overview

The project involves construction of a $38 million project to upgrade the Bruce Highway interchange at Tinana, about 5km southwest of Maryborough. The project will improve safety and operational efficiency and support future growth in the Fraser Coast.

Construction of the project is expected to take about 12 months to complete, weather permitting. The Australian Government is providing 80% of the funding towards the upgrade ($30.4m), with the Queensland Government contributing the remainder ($7.6m).

Project Deliverables

• New overpass and off-ramp exiting to the left. Both northbound and southbound lanes of highway traffic will travel under the new overpass.
• Relocating the Three Mile Road West intersection about 300m south of its current location.
• Removing the southbound off-ramp to Gympie Road and constructing a new southbound off-ramp to Iindah Road.
• Upgrading the existing southbound on-ramp from Gympie Road to the Bruce Highway.
• Incorporating a wide centre line treatment to provide greater separation between opposing directions of traffic.

Tender information

Contractors pre-qualified at level R4/B3/F50 or higher are invited by the Department of Transport and Main Roads to tender for Upgrading the Tinana Interchange including the off / on ramps with the Bruce Highway and new bridge overpass.  

A non-compulsory Pre-close of Tender meeting will be held on Wednesday 6 April 2016 at 11.00am at 23 Quay Street Bundaberg Qld 4670. Tenderers are advised that the Building Code 2013 and Queensland Code and Queensland Guidelines apply to this tender.

Prequalified tenderers are to email BUND_PPS@tmr.qld.gov.au to be registered for access to the tender documents which will be available on the Building and Asset Services website https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/bas/etender/.  Submissions are to be electronic via the eTender website.  

The tender closes on Wednesday, 27 April 2016. Project contact details can be on the project's QTender advertisement. 

So what do Queensland tender officers look for? Check out this free eBook, Offer Evaluation Methods, to learn more about the key principles of government procurement policies and processes. It's direct from a "Tendering for Government Business" workshop by the Department of State Development!