- The Crisafulli Government is delivering critical safety upgrades at the Bruce Highway and Walker Street intersection in Maryborough, progressing its key election commitment.
- Preferred design is a dual-lane, four-leg roundabout that maintains local access and connectivity.
- Detailed design is progressing with construction expected to start in 2027.
- Part of the Crisafulli Government's plan to deliver a better Bruce Highway after a decade of decline under the former State Labor Government.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering on its election commitment for critical road safety upgrades in Maryborough, with a proposed solution announced for the notorious Bruce Highway and Walker Street intersection.
A new dual lane, four-leg roundabout will be delivered at the intersection, which will include access to Showgrounds Road, to improve safety while limiting impacts on the critical function of the Bruce Highway as a key transport corridor.
Critically, the new roundabout will be built without land resumptions and largely off the existing road, which will minimise the impact on the local community and on Bruce Highway traffic.
The proposed upgrade will maintain a 60 km/h speed limit on the Bruce Highway at this location, while preserving all-access movements and local connectivity for Queenslanders travelling to and from Maryborough.
The upgrade of the intersection was a key election commitment by the Crisafulli Government and finally addresses major community concern which was ignored by the former State Labor Government during their decade of decline.
Premier David Crisafulli said the Government was getting on with delivering on an election commitment.
"We made a promise to deliver safety upgrades to this notorious intersection, and we're getting on with delivering it," Premier Crisafulli said.
"Before the election, I stood with John Barounis at the Walker Street intersection and told the Maryborough community we'd act on their safety concerns – and now we are doing exactly that."
Acting Minister for Transport and Main Roads Sam O'Connor said the Crisafulli Government was delivering a major upgrade to the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Walker Street.
"Throughout their decade of decline, Labor neglected community concerns about this intersection," Minister O'Connor said.
"We took a calm and methodical approach to planning, and – as a result – this is a far more comprehensive upgrade and will deliver better safety outcomes for the community.
"We will now get on with the detailed design so we can get shovels in the ground as soon as possible."
Member for Maryborough John Barounis said this was evidence of the Crisafulli Government delivering for Maryborough.
"This upgrade is about making one of Maryborough's most dangerous intersections safer for everyone who uses it," Mr Barounis said.
"We made a commitment to the Maryborough community and the freight and trucking industry, and we're getting on with the job of delivering it.
"Best of all, this will minimise the impact on motorists during construction, and once it is completed, it will maintain access for local drivers while delivering meaningful safety improvements for locals and users of the Bruce Highway."
TMR will continue to refine the design while also progressing other long-term upgrades to the Bruce Highway through the Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program funded on an 80:20 basis with the Commonwealth.
As part of the process, input from the community and key stakeholders will be sought to address transport infrastructure needs in this rapidly growing and economically important area of Queensland.
Construction on the new roundabout is expected to commence by in 2027.
