Work on the Mackay Ring Road Stage 1 upgrade is on schedule, as a series of 82-tonne T-girders are lifted into place for the new Pioneer River crossing, Transport and Main Roads says.

Rockhampton-based pre-cast concrete specialist Stresscrete is supplying the girders, which are each 35m long and more than 1.8m high.

The girders are being transported from Rockhampton to Mackay using a prime mover which tows specialist multi-axle trailers.

Following delivery in Mackay, they are removed from the trailer by a 280-tonne crane and placed into position on the headstock of the bridge by two mobile hydraulic cranes working together.

This exercise will be repeated 108 times for the 670m-long crossing of the Pioneer River, the largest of the four water crossings and nine overpass structures on the Mackay Ring Road project.

A total of 150 T-girders will be required to be placed on the 13 bridges and overpass structures on the Mackay Ring Road.

A Transport and Main Roads spokeswoman said the first T-girder was placed on the new Pioneer River crossing in November 2018 and construction of the new bridge was expected to be finished as the Mackay Ring Road project nears completion, in mid 2020, weather permitting.

Since construction started, more than $85 million worth of packages have been awarded to local and regional suppliers.

The primary contact for the Mackay Ring Road has been awarded to CPB Contractors.

Suppliers wishing to express an interest for work on the project can contact CPB Contractors direct on [email protected].

The Australian Government is committing $397.9 million and the Queensland Government committing $99.4 million to the Mackay Ring Road project.