$33 million for Yellow Gin Creek Bridge upgrade

APRIL 22, 2015: WHILE visiting the Burdekin to open the $50 million Sandy Corner to Collinsons Lagoon upgrade, the Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss announced the approval of $33 million in Liberal National Government funding to construct the Yellow Gin Creek bridge and approaches south of Ayr.This is another huge infrastructure boost for the Burdekin.It will increase safety and connectivity on this 1.6km stretch for freight vehicles, tourists and local motorists by improving safety and flood immunity at the creek crossing.This is an important link for inter-state and inter-regional freight movements, with heavy vehicles making up around one quarter of daily road users, and average traffic statistics show that more than 3000 vehicles travel across the bridge each day.There has sadly been one fatality and six injury crashes here over the past 10 years.The project will involve replacing the existing low-level floodway crossing over Yellow Gin Creek with a new raised bridge, plus upgrades to the highway on the approaches to the bridge.The upgrade will also provide jobs for local workers at a time when they are desperately needed.Construction on the bridge upgrade will start mid-2015 and is expected to be completed in late 2016.The Queensland Government will also contribute $9 million towards the upgrade.