en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Queensland Government has awarded a contract to a joint venture between McIlwain Civil Engineering and SEE Civil to commence preliminary works for the next phase of the Mooloolah River Interchange (MRI). The joint venture will be responsible for carrying out extensive earthworks and embankment construction to prepare for the overall upgrade of the interchange.

The MRI project aims to connect the Sunshine Motorway, Nicklin Way, and Brisbane Road to alleviate a major traffic bottleneck in the area. Project works first commenced in late 2025. The latest preliminary works package will involve the transport of tens of thousands of tonnes of material to lay a solid foundation for the new interchange infrastructure, a key step in unlocking the next phase of transport investment on the Sunshine Coast. These works will reshape the interchange to prepare for The Wave (Stage 3) rapid transit system and will be planned to support a future metro corridor, improving traffic flow in one of the Sunshine Coast's busiest areas.

Progress on The Wave (Stage 3) is also continuing, with newly released maps showing the route between Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Mountain Creek, including identified corridor alignments and station locations. State Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg stated that both the MRI and The Wave will reduce congestion, improve safety, and support a high-frequency metro system connecting people with jobs, healthcare, and education.