The Cairns Southern Access Corridor (Stage 3): Edmonton to Gordonvale Project (E2G) forms part of the 15-year Bruce Highway Upgrade Program, one of the largest road infrastructure programs in Queensland to date. The project involves the duplication of a 10.5-kilometre section of the highway to create four lanes from Edmonton south to Gordonvale, a shared path and cycleway, and the relocation of two sections of the North Coast rail line for Queensland Rail. HSA Group – a John Holland Group, Seymour Whyte, and AECOM Joint Venture –designed and constructed the project.
The Judging Panel were impressed by the project’s strong emphasis on collaboration and community involvement, noting the significant consultation required between a range of government bodies including TMR, Queensland Rail and local councils throughout the project. The Panel also commended the project’s community economic impact, with over three quarters of the contract value spent within the local community, including $16.1 million spent with Indigenous-owned businesses. The Judges also recognised the range of sustainable strategies deployed throughout the project, including the use of recycled plastic fibre in concrete and the transformation of agricultural land into native vegetation.