A new alignment has been proposed for an inland motorway in a major expansion area.
The state government has released a fresh route for Stage 4 of the Bruce Highway Western Alternative, connecting the D’Aguilar Highway at Moodlu to Steve Irwin Way at Beerburrum.
The route – created after feedback from residents of Caboolture, Moodlu, Wamuran, Elimbah and Beerburrum – is now up for further community consultation.
Member for Glass House Andrew Powell said the new proposed corridor dramatically reduced the impact on properties and the communities.
“As I requested, TMR (Department of Transport and Main Roads) have gone back to the drawing board, they’ve looked to use state- and council-owned land as much as possible, they’ve worked hard to minimise the impact on rural residential properties and, I believe, delivered a far more environmentally responsible solution,” he said.
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TMR has started discussions with landowners within the proposed Stage 4 alignment.
“There will also be a series of public information sessions to provide locals with every last detail you need to understand how this will impact our community,” Mr Powell said.
A community consultation period will close on April 30. It includes information sessions at Elimbah, Wamuran and Beerburrum in late March and early April.
The four-stage Bruce Highway Western Alternative will also be known as the Moreton Motorway. Once completed, it will span more than 50km from Bald Hills to Beerburrum.
“The future of our region depends on forward-thinking infrastructure to keep up with that demand, to provide an easier way for locals to access their neighbourhoods without battling for bitumen with the rest of the Bruce Highway traffic,” Mr Powell said.
“Whilst the highway will be needed in the future, we need to respect impacted residents and I continue to stand ready to assist those affected.”
The north Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions are among the fastest-growing areas in Australia.
The South-East Queensland Regional Plan (ShapingSEQ 2023) identified Elimbah as a major expansion area, fuelling the need for a new transport corridor separate to the Bruce Highway.
Early planning for Stages 1 and 2 (Moodlu to Narangba) is complete, and 22km of the corridor is protected. Feedback is currently being sought for Stage 3 (Narangba to Bald Hills) with further progress expected once Stage 4 is locked in.
Detailed planning, including the number of lanes, is yet to be undertaken but it could feature two lanes each way. The corridor is expected to be about 90m wide in flat terrain. Multiple interchanges, overpasses and underpasses could be included.
Upgrades to the transport network to the north, including Steve Irwin Way and the Bruce Highway, will eventually be needed and are likely to occur in advance of construction of the future Moreton Motorway. Planning for these upgrades will be progressed in future studies.
To provide feedback or learn more about Stage 4 of the Bruce Highway Western Alternative, visit TMR’s website or call 1800 955 799.
