Major construction is complete on the $1 billion Gympie Bypass project, with the new highway now open to traffic.
The bypass means heavy vehicles no longer need to travel through Gympie, cutting travel times, improving motorist safety, access and flood immunity.
The project has constructed a new 26km, four-lane divided highway between the existing Bruce Highway interchange at Woondum, just south of Gympie, and Curra.
It includes three new interchanges – at Flood Road, Gympie Connection Road and Curra. There are also 42 new bridges at 23 locations.
Over the next couple of weeks and months, the Gympie community will begin to see the positive impact of fewer heavy vehicles, while freight efficiency will be improved.
Motorists can still also access Gympie from the Old Bruce Highway via the interchange at Woondum and from Curra in the north.
The Gympie Bypass is jointly funded, with the Federal Government contributing $929.6 million and the Queensland Government contributing $232.4 million.
It is the final section of a 62km Bruce Highway program of works between Cooroy and Curra, totalling $2.549 billion. Construction of the overall Cooroy to Curra program began in September 2009.
While major construction for the bypass is finished, there will be some intermittent works over the next few weeks while the crew finishes some minor activities on the connections at either end of the new highway.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, said, “This vital infrastructure project has been a long time coming for the locals and visitors who travel throughout the Gympie region.
“We recognise the importance of upgrading the Bruce Highway, which is why we have committed almost $1 billion to the project.
“This is the culmination of 15 years’ worth of construction on the 62km Bruce Highway upgrade between Cooroy and Curra, and it is wonderful to see motorists will now be able to reap benefits of a completed Gympie Bypass.”
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said the opening of the bypass marked a monumental achievement.
“This stretch of highway will improve safety, flood resilience and capacity for motorists as well as meet the transport needs of the Gympie and Sunshine Coast communities well into the future.
“We know how important continued investment in major infrastructure upgrades is, and that’s why in this year’s Federal Budget we allocated a further $467 million towards several projects along the Bruce Highway like the Gympie Bypass to ensure they get delivered for Queenslanders.”
Federal Minister for Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Senator for Queensland Anthony Chisholm, said, “This opening has been a long time coming. Gympie residents and regular visitors to this popular part of Queensland will be thrilled to hear that the bypass is ready to use.
“Today’s opening is the culmination of 15 years’ worth of construction on this 62km upgrade to the Bruce Highway, which will improve safety, flood resilience and is designed to meet the transport needs of the Gympie, Maryborough and Sunshine Coast communities well into the future.”
