Coalition to unveil $6.7b Bruce Hwy plan The federal opposition plans to spend $6.7bn over 10 years to upgrade Queensland's Bruce Highway. THE federal opposition is set to announce a multibillion dollar plan to upgrade Queensland's Bruce Highway. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will reportedly unveil a coalition plan to spend $6.7 billion over 10 years on the 1700km road artery, which links Brisbane with the Cairns in the far north. Under an 80-20 funding deal with the Queensland government, about $8.5 billion would be spent on the notorious highway, where almost four people die in accidents every month. "The Bruce Highway is not only the lifeline of Queensland but it is the gateway to northern Australia," Mr Abbott told the Courier-Mail. This commitment is an integral part of the coalition's real action plan for Queensland. The commitment would be about $1 billion more than what the Gillard government had allocated to the road, which runs through 11 electorates. But Prime Minister Kevin Rudd indicated on Tuesday that Labor's commitment was being kept "under review."