Work on the Rockhampton Ring Road in Queensland is ramping up, with construction starting on a major new Fitzroy River crossing and another huge bridge taking shape on the 14.7km project.
Piling has now begun for the new 435-metre bridge across the Fitzroy River between Pink Lily and Parkhurst, marking another significant milestone for the new western route around Rockhampton.
A temporary work platform being built across the river is also nearing the Parkhurst bank, with five spans remaining.
The platform will provide access for heavy machinery, construction materials and bridge components as crews build the permanent crossing.
Work is also progressing on the 841-metre Capricorn Highway connector bridge, where the scale of the construction task is becoming increasingly apparent.
The bridge requires 150 girders, each measuring 34 metres long and weighing 84 tonnes, to form its superstructure.
Elsewhere on the project, a purpose-built precast facility at Werribee Street in North Rockhampton is nearing commissioning.
The facility will manufacture 312 concrete segments for the new Fitzroy River bridge, with production expected to begin shortly.
The Rockhampton Ring Road will provide a new 14.7km Bruce Highway route around the western side of the city, designed to improve freight efficiency and travel-time reliability for through traffic.
It is also expected to improve flood resilience on the critical north-south freight corridor.
The project will connect the Capricorn Highway at Fairy Bower with the Bruce Highway at Parkhurst, allowing through traffic to bypass parts of Rockhampton’s existing urban road network.
For truckies, the new route is expected to provide a more efficient journey through the region and reduce interaction between heavy vehicles and local traffic.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King said the project would deliver more efficient journeys for producers and logistics operators.
Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Brent Mickelberg said the bridges and overpasses being delivered as part of the project would improve flood resilience and support freight movements across Central Queensland.
Construction of the ring road is being delivered progressively, with major works getting underway last year.
The 1.98 billion project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments and is one of the largest road infrastructure projects currently underway in regional Queensland.
Once complete, the new connection will form a key part of the Bruce Highway freight network through Central Queensland.
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