Details:

The Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns provides the principal corridor linking coastal Queensland cities and towns with Brisbane and interstate capitals, and represents a major component of the national land transport network in Queensland. The Bruce Highway services the long distance transport movements between the port facilities and major industrial areas in the Cairns region, and other major economic regions, both within and external to Queensland.

The Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade Project (CBHU) between Sheehy Road and Kate Street on Ray Jones Drive, Cairns, approximately 3.5km long, involved the construction and operation of a six lane upgrade. Some of the major features of the project include closure of the Sheehy Road open level crossings at Sheehy Road and Anderson Road, introduction of grade separated intersections at Sheehy Road and Rigg Street, upgrade of Kate Street intersection with the Bruce Highway to a minimum of six lanes.

The project upgrade works included impacts to telecommunications, power, water and sewer. Permanent works in the vicinity of existing Powerlink overhead transmission assets resulted in no impact due to sufficient clearance to the asset with the exception of construction activity. Temporary works were established for Powerlink overhead transmission assets to facilitate the bridge construction at Ray Jones Drive. Protection of Powerlink high voltage underground assets providing a major feed to the north due to conflict with proposed road construction.

Jennifer Watson played a key role in the delivery of the Cairns Bruce Highway upgrade as the Design Manager.