Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester visited the Sunshine Coast to meet with the Sunshine Coast team and see first-hand some of the priority infrastructure projects we are lobbying for, including:
· Duplication of the North Coast Rail Line
· Six laning of the Bruce Highway from Pine Rivers to Caloundra.
My federal colleagues Ted O’Brien and Andrew Wallace have already made good on their promises to prioritise funding for further upgrades to the Bruce Highway.
In addition to the $1.134 billion project which will take place over the next four years to upgrade the Caloundra and
Sunshine Motorway interchanges and widen the highway to six lanes, a further $187 million in funding has been locked in to develop a business case for the Maroochydore Road interchange upgrade.
The Bruce Highway – Maroochydore Road Interchange Upgrade – Stage 1 project is jointly funded with the Australian Government contributing up to $149.6 million and the Queensland Government up to $37.4 million
A key feature of the Maroochydore Road interchange will be a new four lane eastbound bridge over the highway at a signalised roundabout with the Nambour Connection road to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
New service roads east and west of the Bruce Highway would also link the Mons and Maroochydore Road interchanges and remove local traffic from the highway, further improving safety.
Planning work on this project will complement the Pine River to Caloundra Road planning study that is already underway, and will build on Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway upgrade which starts year.
