Any truck driver who has been held up when the Burdekin Bridge closes due to maintenance work will tell you of the inconvenience it causes to their schedule.
It spans the mighty Burdekin River between Home Hill and Ayr along the Bruce Highway.
When regular maintenance work is required several times a year, it is closed overnight.
Spy was held up there once and it was a long wait until morning.
So, the discussion surrounding the prospects of a second bridge being built would be welcomed.
Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has revealed that the Burdekin could be in line for a new bridge after the district mayor Pierina Dalle Cort raised the issue.
A TMR spokesperson said the Australian and Queensland governments had pledged $23.92 million and $5.98 million respectively toward the Burdekin Deviation planning and corridor preservation project.
“This project, which is expected to commence by the end of 2024, will explore and refresh the existing planning to identify a suitable and preferred option for a deviation that meets current standards,” the TMR spokesperson said.
“It will also explore proposals for crossing of the Burdekin River, including the option of constructing a new bridge that is fit for purpose and will service north Queensland well into the future.”
There has been closures after accidents and in the latest in June, a truck burst into flames on the bridge closing access for more than three hours.
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