Big Road Upgrades to Transform Caboolture: Smoother Rides, Safer Commutes on the Way
Caboolture is entering a new era of road and transport investment. Proposed major upgrades to the Bruce Highway and Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road, including a new Bribie Island bridge, are designed to cut congestion, improve safety, and prepare the region for its rapid population growth.
According to the Dept of Transport and Main Roads, these projects will “meet future traffic growth, reduce congestion and improve efficiency, safety and flood immunity.”
Bruce Highway: More Lanes, Better Flow
The proposed Bruce Highway upgrade between Anzac Avenue and Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road spans 18.8 kilometres, adding one new lane in each direction between Anzac Avenue and Uhlmann Road.
The Bruce Highway is one of Queensland’s most critical transport corridors, linking Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast and the state’s northern regions. In Caboolture, this highway has long been a pinch point for commuters and freight operators, with traffic bottlenecks frequently forming during peak hours, public holidays, and even minor incidents.
To address this, the Bruce Highway upgrade between Anzac Avenue and Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road spans 18.8 kilometres and includes the construction of an additional northbound and southbound lane between Anzac Avenue and Uhlmann Road.
This will help:
- Relieve congestion that currently slows traffic to a crawl at peak times
- Improve travel reliability for both local residents and through‑traffic heading north
- Support regional growth, ensuring the corridor can handle projected future traffic volumes
Advanced Design Options
Beyond just adding lanes, TMR has been assessing options for collector‑distributor (CD) roads between Uhlmann Road and Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road. CD roads create parallel lanes for local traffic, allowing vehicles to enter and exit safely without disrupting through‑traffic. This improves highway efficiency and reduces the risk of weaving crashes, which are common on multi‑lane highways.
The project also incorporates active transport facilities:
- Shared paths for pedestrians and cyclists along the western side of the highway
- Better east‑west connections linking suburbs that have historically been car‑dependent
- Future‑proofing for public transport improvements, as some community feedback highlighted a desire for bus‑friendly designs
Community Input and Feedback
The 2023 community consultation, which received around 90 submissions, revealed broad support for the additional lanes and CD road options, especially for their potential to reduce delays and improve safety. Concerns were mainly about:
- Construction impacts: potential traffic delays during the works
- Noise and property impacts: residents asked for noise barriers and clear communication about resumptions
- Traffic flow south of Uhlmann Road: some questioned whether merging lanes could still cause congestion
TMR has noted that noise barriers and breakdown lanes are part of the design considerations, and staging will aim to minimise construction disruption.
Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road: Dual Carriageways and a New Bridge
Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road is the lifeline connecting the Bruce Highway to Bribie Island, Sandstone Point, and Ningi, serving thousands of residents, tourists, and local businesses every day. Its most critical feature—the Bribie Island bridge—carries over 21,000 vehicles per day, and even minor incidents can trigger long delays that block access for commuters and emergency services alike.
To address this, TMR’s preferred upgrade option involves duplicating the bridge while progressively upgrading the road corridor to a four‑lane dual‑carriageway standard. The plan includes:
- A new two‑lane eastbound bridge with incident shoulders and a segregated 5.5‑metre active transport path
- Reconfiguring the existing bridge for two westbound lanes, maximising its continued use while keeping the connection operational during construction
- Intersection upgrades at Sandstone Point Hotel and Sylvan Beach Esplanade to improve safety and reduce delays
This $756.56 million project is expected to support around 570 direct jobs during construction and will future‑proof the corridor by allowing a full four‑lane bridge conversion when the current structure reaches the end of its service life.
Staged Dual‑Carriageway Upgrades
Alongside the bridge duplication, Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road is being progressively widened to improve safety, flow, and active transport connectivity.
Design is currently underway for the section from Hickey Road to west of King Johns Creek, which will deliver:
- Traffic signals at Hickey Road
- A central median for safer separation of traffic
- A shared path and cycling infrastructure improvements
This $59-million stage will enhance both traffic efficiency and safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
Meanwhile, construction is already in progress between Old Toorbul Point Road and Saint Road. This stage upgrades the road to a four‑lane carriageway, adds signalised intersections at Volz Road and Browns Road, and improves bike lanes and shared pathways. Backed by $48.23 million in funding, this stage complements a previously completed intersection upgrade, forming a more resilient and consistent transport corridor.
Together, these staged works align with the long‑term vision of a fully duplicated, four‑lane corridor from the Bruce Highway to Bribie Island, creating safer, faster, and more reliable connections for residents, tourists, and local businesses. For property buyers and investors, this kind of infrastructure investment signals growth, accessibility, and long‑term value in the surrounding suburbs of Caboolture, Ningi, and Sandstone Point.
Investment, Jobs, and Regional Growth
The Bribie Island bridge and Caboolture‑Bribie Island Road upgrade is a $756.56-million project that is expected to support around 570 direct jobs during construction.
This investment is about far more than smoother commutes. It will support the local economy, which relies heavily on the steady stream of visitors drawn to Bribie Island’s beaches and attractions. It will also improve liveability for residents by providing reliable access for daily travel, emergencies, and essential services. For property buyers in Caboolture, Ningi, and Sandstone Point, the upgrades will enhance the appeal of the area, offering the connectivity and resilience that modern homebuyers value.
When complete, the project will create a dual‑carriageway link between the Bruce Highway and Bribie Island, positioning the corridor for safe, efficient travel for decades to come.
Community and Lifestyle Impact
Beyond easing congestion, the Caboolture and Bribie Island road upgrades promise major lifestyle and safety benefits. For Bribie Island, reliable access is critical; past bridge closures have stranded residents and tourists for hours and even forced medical evacuations by helicopter. The new duplicated bridge with incident shoulders will allow traffic to be redirected during emergencies, giving essential services a safer, faster route.
The upgrades will also make travel more predictable and resilient. TMR modelling indicates that incident delays could fall by up to 87 percent by 2046, meaning shorter commutes and fewer holiday bottlenecks. Businesses, trades, and emergency responders will all benefit from more dependable access.
Active transport will see a major boost, with a segregated 5.5‑metre shared path on the new bridge and connected off‑road paths linking the island to the mainland. These paths, DDA‑compliant and safely separated from traffic, will support walking, cycling, and mobility users, improving the area’s liveability and appeal to property buyers.
Construction will begin once funding and detailed design stages are complete. In a statement released to media, the State said that the existing bridge will remain open, with only brief lane or path closures for critical works.
What’s Next
For property buyers, these projects highlight Caboolture’s evolution into a well‑connected hub in the Moreton Bay region—offering safer roads, faster travel, and a more liveable community.
Tourism and the local economy stand to acquire significant gains. With smoother access and improved safety, Caboolture, Bribie Island and surrounding areas will remain an attractive destination for visitors, supporting local cafes, retail, and hospitality while reinforcing the region’s lifestyle reputation.
Published 1-August-2025
