Bruce Highway Opens 8.29km Pavement Tender With EME2 and Foamed-Bitumen Options

An identified Mackay–Whitsunday package has moved into active procurement

The Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program has been progressively converting a large forward pipeline into individual design and construction opportunities. The latest release relevant to the Proserpine–Bowen corridor is Contract CN-27666, Department of Transport and Main Roads Project No. 3913070.

The tender covers pavement strengthening from chainage 22.60 kilometres to chainage 30.89 kilometres between Tenmile Creek and Greta Creek Road. That produces an advertised tender limit of about 8.29 kilometres. The procurement was published on 28 September and is listed to close on 27 October 2026.

For BBI readers, the important change is the procurement status. TMR’s earlier Bruce Highway pipeline identified works in the Mackay–Whitsunday region as staged design and construction opportunities. CN-27666 now provides a specific contract number, project number, work limit and bidding structure.

The tender puts two pavement-strengthening methods into separate competitive schedules

Tender scope

Schedule A: Deep Lift Asphalt (EME2)

Schedule A calls for full-width road pavement strengthening using deep lift asphalt with EME2. The notice identifies the methodology at a high level but tenderers must rely on the official procurement documents for layer configuration, quantities, staging, quality requirements and technical specifications.

Schedule B: Foamed Bitumen Base

Schedule B provides an alternative full-width pavement-strengthening approach using foamed bitumen base. Again, the public notice establishes the procurement option rather than every construction detail.

The dual-schedule structure is commercially useful because it allows the market to price different delivery approaches against the same highway section. Tenderers can submit against Schedule A, Schedule B or both. TMR states that the two schedules will be evaluated independently.

That structure does not mean two construction contracts will necessarily be awarded. It means the procurement process preserves separate competitive pathways. The final award structure, successful methodology, contract value and contractor remain future procurement outcomes.

The bid structure creates a clear decision point for pavement contractors

Procurement pathway

The market is open now; award comes later

The tender was released on 28 September, placing the project in the active bid period. The published closing date is 27 October. After close, TMR can evaluate compliant submissions against the procurement requirements before any contract award is confirmed.

For contractors, the immediate decision is whether their delivery model, prequalification position, plant, materials supply chain and technical capability are best aligned to the EME2 schedule, the foamed-bitumen schedule, or both.

For suppliers and subcontractors, the tender creates a useful market signal but not yet an appointment pathway. Engagement should be based on verified tender documents and, where relevant, direct relationships with bidding principal contractors.

CN-27666 sits inside a much larger Bruce Highway safety procurement wave

TMR’s published Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program pipeline says the broader program is bringing more than 145 kilometres of pavement strengthening to market alongside more than 300 kilometres of wide centre line treatment, intersection upgrades, overtaking lanes, rest areas and bridge replacements.

The Australian and Queensland governments have described the Targeted Safety Program as a $9 billion jointly funded program. The Commonwealth has committed $7.2 billion and Queensland $1.8 billion. A government release in June said a further 52 tenders were moving toward market, split between 40 construction and 12 design tenders.

For the Mackay–Whitsunday corridor, the forward list includes multiple packages between St Lawrence, Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen and Ayr. The Ten Mile Creek to Greta Creek corridor had appeared in that forward program as planning and design work. The live CN-27666 notice is important because it converts a section of that corridor into a specific pavement-strengthening procurement event.

BBI has previously covered the broader Bruce Highway tender pipeline. This article is narrower: it tracks one newly released contract with live bid parameters and a defined close date.

The commercial lens extends beyond the principal pavement contractor

Industry capability

Two pavement methods pull on different technical supply chains

An EME2 solution can bring asphalt production, paving, compaction, testing and logistics capability into focus. A foamed-bitumen base solution can create a different delivery emphasis around stabilisation plant, binder systems, base preparation, compaction and quality verification.

Both approaches can also require disciplined live-road traffic management, haulage, survey, laboratory and field testing, environmental controls, safety systems, plant servicing and project QA. The exact responsibilities sit with the final contract documents and delivery model.

Regional businesses should therefore read the opportunity at two levels. The first is the principal contract itself. The second is the supply-chain positioning that may occur around bidding contractors as they assemble compliant delivery teams, pricing, plant strategies and materials arrangements.

What BBI is watching next

The immediate milestone is tender close on 27 October. After that, the useful commercial signals will be any confirmed award, selected pavement approach, disclosed contract value, mobilisation timing and authorised supplier or subcontractor engagement.

The broader Bruce Highway pipeline also matters. TMR is progressively releasing packages across regional Queensland, so contractors that miss one tender still have reason to monitor the subsequent Mackay–Whitsunday and Central Queensland work fronts.