A “Standard” For The Bruce

Whitsunday Regional Council will submit a motion to the National General Assembly of Local Government seeking support from the Federal Government on the standard of the Bruce Highway.

The North’s main highway has been under increased scrutiny over the past two years after both an increased number of damaging weather events, fatalities, and delayed roadworks caused closures and unsafe conditions.

Council’s Director Infrastructure Services Adam Hagy said the motion to the Federal Government advocates for a highway which meets that expected of a main thoroughfare, especially one of the longest in the country.

“A highway that is immune to the weather impacts that the Whitsunday Region faces and any weather event across the state, for that matter,” Mr Hagy said.

“Recently, during a rain event in January, several sections of the Bruce Highway were cut off in our region and others, stranding motorists across the network.”

The highway – which stretches close to 1,700 kilometres from Brisbane to Cairns - is the major north-south freight and commuter corridor in the state.

In recent months, the State Government’s commitment to its upkeep has been called into question by prominent Whitsunday figures, including State Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm and Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox.

Both members made extraordinary claims of “neglect” in reference to upgrades at Goorganga Plains – the site of flooding which Mr Hagy referred to.

To the particular chagrin of locals travelling North to or South from Bowen, the over twelve-month long delay for contracted upgrades has been a continued thorn in travellers’ sides.

The National General Assembly will be held from June 13 to 16 in Canberra.

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