en.Wedoany.com Reported - A breakthrough has been achieved in the upgrade plan for one of the most notorious accident-prone areas on the Bruce Highway, widely recognized by truck drivers. The Queensland Government has announced the preferred design for the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Walker Street in Maryborough, which involves constructing a new two-lane, four-leg roundabout.
The plan also includes access to Showgrounds Road, aiming to enhance safety while maintaining traffic flow on the Bruce Highway. For years, truck drivers, freight operators, and the Queensland Trucking Association have regarded this intersection as a major safety hazard and freight bottleneck. In 2024, a fatal crash occurred here, resulting in three deaths, including two truck drivers, Daniel Stuart and Tim Hickey.
"This upgrade is designed to make one of Maryborough's most dangerous intersections safer for all users," said John Barounis, Member for Maryborough. "We made a commitment to the Maryborough community and the freight and trucking industry, and we are delivering on that promise by moving this forward. Most importantly, this will minimize impacts on motorists during construction and, once completed, will maintain convenient access for local drivers while delivering tangible safety improvements for locals and Bruce Highway users."
The Department of Transport and Main Roads stated that the project's cost will be announced after the construction contract is awarded. Assistant Minister for Transport and Main Roads Sam O’Connor said in a statement that this announcement follows a detailed planning process. "We have taken a calm and methodical approach to planning, and as a result, this is a more comprehensive upgrade that will deliver better safety outcomes for the community," he said. "We will now proceed with detailed design to break ground as soon as possible."
The project will be delivered under the Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program, funded by the federal and state governments on an 80:20 basis. Construction is expected to begin next year.
