Transport

Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade

Location
Cairns, Queensland
Value
$111 million
Client
Department of Transport and Main Roads
Status
Complete
BMD Constructrions_Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade_Queensland

About the project

The 100% federally funded project involved the design and construction of a 3.4 kilometre section of the Bruce Highway from Sheehy Road to Chinaman Creek on Ray Jones Drive on the southern approach into Cairns.

The objectives of the project were to improve safety, remove two Queensland Rail (QR) open level crossings, ease congestion and queuing, improve pedestrian and cycle facilities, improve connectivity between the Bruce highway, port and local road network, construct two new adjacent service roads and ensure any future works could be completed safely with minimal redundancy.

CairnsConnect offered a better whole of life solution through collaborative contracting, a fully integrated team and collective ownership of risk. This delivered $9 million of additional scope within the project budget.

Scope

Two grade separated interchanges, consisting of five bridges

One by 460 metre composite steel truss pedestrian bridge

Two new service roads running parallel to the Bruce Highway

Pavement widening of the Bruce Highway and Ray Jones Drive to six lanes over the length of the project

Pavement rehabilitation over the length of the Bruce Highway and Ray Jones Drive

Relocation of the Mulgrave Mill cane rail

Upgrades to lighting and ITS infrastructure (including two new VMS signs)

Removal of two QR open level crossings

Noise walls, barriers, drainage, landscaping and other roadside infrastructure

BMD Constructions_Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade_Queensland 2
BMD Constructions_Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade_Queensland 3

Outcomes

CairnsConnect offered a better whole of life solution through collaborative contracting, a fully integrated team and collective ownership of risk. This delivered $9 million of additional scope within the project budget.

An uncompromising safety culture produced an outcome 8.7 times better than industry average in a region unaccustomed to large scale infrastructure, with over 500,000 hours delivered lost time injury free.

Developed innovative construction methodologies and strategies that managed both weather and geotechnical risk to the project enabling savings to be reinvested into additional infrastructure.

Completed the overall project three months ahead of schedule in a tropical monsoon region, adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Achieved an overall score of “outstanding” in all key result areas (safety, training, environment, stakeholder management, regional development, whole of life, program and commercial)

500,000+ HOURS

LOST TIME INJURY FREE

An uncompromising safety culture produced an outcome 8.7 times better than industry average in a region unaccustomed to large scale infrastructure, with over 500,000 hours delivered lost time injury free.

STRATEGY

INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION METHODOLGY

Developed innovative construction methodologies and strategies that managed both weather and geotechnical risk to the project enabling savings to be reinvested into additional infrastructure.

3 MONTHS AHEAD

PROJECT COMPLETION

Completed the overall project three months ahead of schedule in a tropical monsoon region, adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.