New Bruce Highway signage gives advance warning of road condition

The last of four new electronic road signs alerting drivers to road closures and other conditions on the Bruce Highway has been installed south of Tully in time for North Queensland’s next big wet season.

Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace said motorists travelling between Cairns and Townsville on the Bruce Highway will benefit from advanced warning of road closures or condition changes, thanks to the $320,000 project.

“Three signs have already been installed at Gordonvale, Innisfail and north of Tully, with another sign almost complete south of Tully, opposite the Tully State High School,” Mr Wallace said.

“These signs are remotely controlled by Transport and Main Roads’ Traffic Management Centres in Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane, allowing operators with access to roads throughout Queensland’s north to act quickly and alert motorists when there are condition changes.

“The northern regions of Queensland can be heavily impacted during wet a season, which plays havoc on travel time and road conditions for all motorists.

“This important safety project is a great example of our commitment to effectively managing road closures during the wet season.

“This state-of-the-art equipment allows us to provide real time road condition information to the travelling public on the highway, providing road users with earlier warning of road closures or potential hazards.

Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt says motorists will get advanced warning of closures while they are still close to places where food and accommodation are accessible.

“Operators in the Traffic Management Centres throughout the state would have remote control access to the information signs, including Brisbane.

“The great thing about being able to remotely control the signs is that they can be changed from a number of locations and we will have access to update motorists twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.

Minister Wallace said the signs had been funded under the Nation Building Program, a federal government initiative aimed at improving transport infrastructure and was being delivered by the state government.