More jobs in highway works

11 NOVEMBER 2015: More road construction jobs will be created when overtaking lanes are added to the Bruce Highway near the O’Connell River north of Bloomsbury. Tenders for the construction have been issued for a south-bound overtaking lane near Thomsetts Road. The project, which is being delivered a year ahead of schedule, is expected to support nine direct jobs and increase safety and capacity for drivers travelling between Mackay and Proserpine. The Australian Government was fully funding the $3 million total cost of the project through the Australian Government’s Infrastructure Investment Programme. Overtaking lanes are a great way to not only increase capacity, but to also minimise the number of risky manoeuvres motorists sometimes perform to overtake other vehicles.Fixing the Bruce Highway to make it safer for all motorists was a top priority of the Australian Government. Everyone travelling on this section of the highway will benefit when this new overtaking lane is completed. It’s a very busy section of the highway with plenty of local, tourist and heavy vehicle traffic – and the safer we can make it for all users, the better. Bringing forward works on this project will also underpin local jobs – with nine positions supported during the project, and others created in the region sooner. A safer and more efficient Bruce Highway will be a welcome boost to productivity and the positive flow-on effect that will have on economic activity and employment into the future.Tenders for the project will close next month with a contract expected to be awarded in early 2016.To view the tender: https://www.hpw.qld.gov.au/bas/etender/public/TendersListingCurrent.aspx