The final stage of rehabilitation works are due to start this month on the Gore Highway between Pittsworth and Millmerran, southwest of Toowoomba in Queensland.
The works will be carried out on a 1.55-kilometre section of the highway between Pump Road and Millmerran Leyburn Road, about 12 kilometres north of Millmerran.
This will be the final stage of a two-year project rehabilitating foam bitumen pavements through the trial of sustainable pavement materials and systems.
“The Gore Highway is a key freight and transport route for Queensland. It’s important we continue to invest in projects like these to help drive Queensland’s economy,” said Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Catherine King.
“The works will involve using a specialised machine to recycle existing road base materials before laying a seal over the full width of the existing pavement.”
The $18.2 million project has required considerable ingenuity from Transport and Main Roads engineers who have had to deal with a challenging environment.
“The Gore Highway runs through the Condamine floodplain which makes it very tricky to build on,” added Queensland Assistant Minister for Regional Roads Bruce Saunders.
“The soils contract and expand with changing weather conditions like floods, so finding the right solution has been challenging.
“We are optimistic this treatment method will prolong and extend the life of the road, making it safer for motorists and increasing network capacity and efficiency.
The works will be conducted between 6am to 6pm Monday to Friday with a reduced speed limit of 40km/h in place during these hours.
The project is being delivered under the National Land Transport Network Upgrades, Roads of Strategic Importance, jointly funding by the federal and state governments.