Transport in North Queensland has taken a major step forward with the completion of the Mackay Ring Road to Bald Hill Road connection project.
This $87 million upgrade has delivered a fully duplicated section of the Bruce Highway through Glenella, improving safety, flow, and reliability for over 12,000 vehicles travelling this corridor each day. It extends the four-lane corridor from the Mackay Northern Access Upgrade to the Mackay Ring Road roundabout, creating a consistent, high-capacity link through the region.
What was delivered:
- Two new dual-lane overpass bridges
- A port rail overpass
- A major upgrade to the Bald Hill Road intersection
To reduce disruption, a top-down fill method was used during bridge works—allowing construction to continue without closing the Bruce Highway.
Around 620 tonnes of reinforced steel were used, and the project supported an average of 534 direct jobs over its lifecycle.
Who funded it:
- $69.6 million from the Federal Government
- $17.4 million from the Queensland Government
This project builds on the larger $410 million Mackay Ring Road initiative completed in 2020, which included a Federal contribution of $328.3 million and $82 million from Queensland.
As Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King put it:
“While it’s tools down on this section of highway, we’re getting on with more than 40 other projects to improve the drive on one of Queensland’s most important roads.”
With over $17 billion being invested in the Bruce Highway corridor, this is a strong signal for continued demand across civil infrastructure.
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