New bridge will be built on the Warrego Highway, replacing the flood-damaged structure and granting greater access to road trains
January 17, 2013
A new elevated bridge will be built on the Warrego Highway in Queensland, replacing the flood-damaged structure and granting greater access to road trains.
The federal and Queensland governments will jointly fund the construction of the bridge at the Maranoa River east of Mitchell. It will be 18 metres long and almost one metre higher than the existing bridge.
The project is part of an upgrade to the Warrego Highway between Roma and Mitchell, and Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson says it will support the regional economy by allowing road trains access to Roma.
“As well as the new Maranoa River Bridge, the project will see reconstruction of pavements, strengthening and widening of sections of the highway and construction of a new breakdown facility west of Roma,” he says.
The new bridge is expected to open late this year. Both governments have committed an extra $4 million each to the Warrego Highway upgrade to build the bridge, taking the Federal Government’s commitment to $44 million. Queensland is chipping in $14 million.
“Past experience shows that this section of the Warrego Highway is prone to flooding. Flood proofing this section will greatly reduce the vulnerability of Roma and Mitchell residents and businesses being cut off from coastal areas of the state as well as Toowoomba,” federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese says.
