WHILE the State Government and the Council of Mayors (SEQ) get excited about a possible faster rail connection between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, it is important they don't try to distract or turn a blind eye to what's happening on the Bruce Hwy just 40km away - and to what needs to happen.

CLICK HERE: The full length of Section C is officially complete and open ahead of schedule

There is no disputing the convenience that a high speed rail connection would afford commuters between the Sunny Coast and Brisbane, but the Bruce Highway has indisputable priority: it is costing lives. Too many lives.

The deaths have stopped on the quality, completed Sections A, B and C of the Cooroy to Curra bypass. But the new death stretch is between Gympie and Maryborough.

It's no good pushing for a multi-multi billion dollar high speed rail service to the Sunshine Coast if the Highway of Death looms large and ominous for anyone continuing their travels north by road.

If the Federal Government fast-tracks Section D of the Cooroy to Curra bypass - the bit that goes around Gympie and joins up with the old Bruce Hwy at Curra - it stands to reason the desperately needed duplication of the highway north of Gympie will also get bumped up the list.

Currently, Section D is at least three years away from being built, but with a green light on the funding (a total of $1 billion - $800,000 from the Federal Government and $200,000 from the State) it could be built in less than a year.

This is what needs to happen.

The detailed design is complete, the land for the corridor has been bought.

All that's left is to get that money.

You can help by writing letters to the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the Deputy Prime Minister (and Transport Minister) Michael McCormack. They need to know how serious and passionate this region is about this issue.

Mr McCormack gave The Gympie Times a good hearing during his visit to our offices with Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien on Thursday afternoon and has been left in no doubt as to how passionate both Mr O'Brien and The Gympie Times is about this issue and how hard we intend to keep pushing on it.

Letters on the issue can also be sent to editor@gympietimes.com