A 1.3km section of road, including a railway overpass, will be resurfaced to accommodate about 10,000 commuters.
The project at Cooroy will involve works from just south of Ferrells Road to just east of the railway overpass near the Myall Street and Elm Street intersection.
It includes resurfacing on the bridge deck at the overpass and on both approaches to the bridge, while pavement rehabilitation will also be completed at the intersection of Myall and Elm streets.
Design is complete for the project and tenders for the construction works will soon be called. Construction is expected to start by mid-2024.
Early planning has also been completed for an upgrade of the intersection at Diamond and Elm streets and Myall and Elm streets at Cooroy.
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The announcement comes after community members, including Noosa Shire mayor Clare Stewart and Member for Nicklin Rob Skelton, called for action on the overpass.
Cr Stewart had urged the state government to do a thorough review of “the overall condition of the bridge, including its road surface, and the anticipated timeline for a new bridge to be built”.
In response, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads Bart Mellish issued a media release stating that resurfacing would be done, but there was no mention of a possible new bridge.
“This (resurfacing) work will provide a safer and smoother journey for road users, extend the road life and reduce the costs associated with regular road maintenance,” he said.
“Cooroy Connection Road (Myall Road) provides an important link to the Bruce Highway for the hinterland town of Cooroy, as well as other communities towards the coast, such as Tinbeerwah, Tewantin and Noosa, that connect to Cooroy via Cooroy Noosa Road.
“Locals will be aware we recently undertook minor repair works on the approaches to the railway overpass on Cooroy Connection Road, as well as on the bridge deck, as a temporary solution while we finalised preparations for these resurfacing works.
“We would like to thank the Cooroy community and those who use this road regularly for their patience while we completed these vital preparations.”
Mr Skelton said the resurfacing would have a considerable impact.
“This project will make a real difference for all who travel this critical route through Cooroy,” he said.
“I have advocated for this project and have heard the community’s calls for upgrades to the bridge, and for improvements to the Myall and Elm Street and Diamond and Elm Street intersections.
“We want safer, better connections for the people of Cooroy and surrounds; this project is one of many that will do just that.”
The project is part of a package of works that also includes resurfacing works on about 8.7km of the southbound lanes of the Bruce Highway, from south of the Kiels Mountain Road overpass to just north of the Parklands interchange.
The aerial imagery in this story is from Australian location intelligence company Nearmap. The company provides government organisations, architectural, construction and engineering firms, and other companies, with easy, instant access to high-resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, and geospatial tools to assist with urban planning, monitoring and development projects in Australia, New Zealand and North America.
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