WATER HAZARD: Two vehicles collided in the rain on the Bruce Highway at the Kilkivan turnoff, about 12 km north of Gympie. Picture: Megan Slade Source: The Courier-Mail
PLANS to widen one of the busiest stretches of the Bruce Highway have been shelved indefinitely.
Postponed after the 2011 floods, an $86 million plan to add two lanes to the highway between Caboolture and Caloundra has been left out of the Newman Government's submission to Infrastructure Australia as a "priority project".
That is despite the 33km stretch carrying more than 100,000 vehicles each weekday - with the number of commuters travelling between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast climbing.
Paul Turner, from peak motoring body RACQ, said the section was one of many in desperate need of attention on the "run-down" Bruce Highway.
"It's a massive area that has to be expanded for safety and to address the traffic jams coming into Brisbane," Mr Turner said. "We'd also like to see a major upgrade to the Gateway (Motorway) north that leads into the Bruce - that's a missing link as well."
ANOTHER FATAL: The crash scene on the Bruce Highway at Mullally Rd at Kybong, near Gympie. Picture: AGL Action Rescue Helicopter
The Newman Government is lobbying Canberra for $4 billion to fix the entire Bruce Highway over 10 years. It says it is willing to contribute a further $1 billion.
Repeatedly named as Australia's most dangerous highway, one in every six lives lost on the nation's roads is on the 1677km Bruce Hwy linking Cairns and Brisbane.
Mr Turner said yesterday's announcement of $790 million in state and federal funding to expand 13.4km between Cooroy and Gympie would save lives.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said the state had agreed to match federal funding to ensure work began almost immediately on "one of the worst and most dangerous sections".
CRASH ZONE: Ice truck leaves Bruce Highway at Sippy Downs. Picture: Kathy Lean
"This is a one-off situation to rectify bad planning by the previous Labor Government and does not set a precedent for future funding arrangements," Mr Seeney said.
Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese refused to commit to a total highway upgrade. "We've just made a $390 million announcement. I think that will do for today," he said.
"There's no votes in this. It's about good policy, and it's about saving lives."
A Transport and Main Roads' spokesman said $195 million had been committed by the Federal Government to upgrade interchanges on the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
DEATH ROAD: A German couple who were driving the silver vehicle pictured recover after a three-car crash on the Bruce Highway near Pomona. One man was killed in the accident. Picture: Megan Slade
Planning was also underway to upgrade the Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway section, which would see the highway widened to six lanes, he said.
But there were no plans to expand the Caboolture to Caloundra stretch, which was considered an 11 to 20-year project.
The Courier-Mail has joined with Queensland Police Service in the Below 300 campaign in an effort to keep the 2012 road toll under the figure.
The official toll as of 7.30pm yesterday was 273 after a man, 40, crashed his motorbike on Abbotsford Rd, Albion.
Queensland's road toll has not broken 300 since 2009. Police have pleaded with drivers to take care, especially during the dangerous holiday period.
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