State Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said most of Queensland’s major freight routes had reopened, allowing heavy vehicle operators to access communities affected by widespread flooding.

The Cunningham Highway at Goondiwindi was reopened on Friday, he said.

“More than 800 kilometres of roads across the state have reopened in the past 48 hours, kick-starting major economic lifelines,” Emerson said.

“Main Roads crews and Police are currently escorting heavy vehicles along the Yeppen floodplain to keep the Bruce Highway open, just south of Rockhampton.

“One of my major priorities at the moment is reopening the Capricorn Highway, west of Rockhampton, where floodwaters have washed away the Neerkol Bridge.”

On the rail network, a number of passenger and freight routes remain closed, including Gympie to Rockhampton and between Rosewood and Toowoomba.

TMR and Queensland Police Service authorised officers have the power to grant limited approval for drivers to travel past restricted road use signs on a state-controlled road.

Freight operators can apply for heavy vehicle permits that cannot be provided through normal processes in affected regions, or when special access is required in cases of emergency.