A section of the Bruce Highway south of Gladstone will remain closed over the weekend, adding several hours of travel for motorists, after a truck crash and explosion that damaged the road.
The highway is closed in both directions between Gin Gin and Calliope, with diversions in place.
Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett said the closure would add four hours for motorists travelling between Brisbane and Rockhampton and further north.
"If you are heading from Brisbane north or Cairns to the south it is going to add some time to your journey and maybe you need to reconsider your travel arrangements," he said.
Mr Burnett said the damage to the highway needs to be assessed to determine whether a side track is necessary.
Diversions are in place after a truck exploded on the Bruce Highway. (Supplied)
He said if the road's infrastructure is "severely damaged", a side road would have to be put in place, further extending the closure.
But he said the road would still remain closed for a few more days even if a side road is not needed.
Diversions are in place on the Bruce Highway, which is closed between Gin Gin and Calliope. (Facebook)
On Friday morning, a truck carrying ammonium nitrate collided with a ute on the highway near Daisy Dell Road at Bororen.
The driver of the ute died at the scene and the truck driver, a 47-year-old New South Wales man, was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.
The truck exploded about four hours after the crash, causing significant damage to the roadway.
Matt Burnett has urged motorists to follow the diversion routes in place. (ABC Capricornia: Tobi Loftus)
Mr Burnett said it was important for motorists to follow the directions of traffic controllers.
"We can't be having Bruce Highway traffic through gravel roads in the Gladstone region," he said.
On Friday morning, a 2.6-kilometre exclusion zone was put in place.
Mr Burnett said it had since been reduced to a radius of 100 metres, to allow the north coast railway line to open.
Anthony Albanese says the federal government is investing record amounts" in the Bruce Highway. (ABC News: Russel Tallbot)
Speaking from Rockhampton on Saturday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the damage caused by the explosion was "quite extraordinary".
"This is a tragic accident. Every death on our roads is one too many," he said.
In Brisbane, Queensland Labor frontbencher Leanne Linard said the state government would continue to call on the federal government to increase its proportion of the funding split for road projects, which is currently 50:50.
"We will continue investing but we will also keep calling on the federal government to partner with us 80:20, that is what is fair," she said.
"We will continue standing up and arguing that is the right investment in the Bruce.
"We know how critical the Bruce Highway is to keeping people moving throughout Queensland."
Mr Albanese said the federal government was investing $10 billion in the Bruce Highway and would work with the state government to identify priorities.
Workers unable to return home due to closure
Residents of Miriam Vale are preparing for "extraordinary days ahead" for their little town, according to Country Women's Association (CWA) branch president Lee McIvor.
The organisation swung into action on Friday, opening up the CWA hall to stranded travellers and emergency responders.
"We made some biscuits and put some books out," she said. "We also supplied an evening meal and had quiche and pumpkin soup on the go."
With traffic diverted from 1 kilometre south of Miriam Vale, and 60km north at Calliope, the normally busy Bruce Highway town had come to a standstill.
"When I drove home, there was nothing on the highway," she said.
"It was extraordinary, to actually be driving the Bruce Highway with not one single car, truck, caravan, nothing on the road, it was quite eerie, really."
The town is now facing its own logistical challenges with the section of the highway expected to be close across the weekend.
"The issue with a lot of people who live in Miriam Vale and Bororan, is they actually work in Gladstone and Tannum sands," she said.
"So those guys that were working yesterday and last night were not able to get home.
"People have to get to work, kids have to get to school. We've had council offices close yesterday; school closed."
Smoke was billowing on the Bruce Highway after a fiery truck crash. (Supplied: Queensland Police Service)
Ms McIvor said the local road through to Gladstone has also been closed, due to a number of accidents yesterday from diverted traffic.
"Blackmans Gap road, it's a bit of a disaster, they had a number of accidents here as well.
"There was trucks and caravaners going through there, and its not appropriate."
Lee McIvor says workers were unable to travel home from Miriam Vale and Bororan on Friday. (ABC News: Nikki Sorbello)
Ms McIvor said it was not just the highway impacted.
"It's also bent the rail line that runs beside the highway, so trains are not able to move," she said.
"We've got trains on hold at Miriam Vale and Bororan, the big freight trains are just sitting there, they can't go anywhere.
"We don't know when that rail line is going to actually be repaired or how long it's going to take to repair that train line."
Police urge motorist to drive to the conditions
Acting Sergeant officer in charge of Bundaberg Highway Patrol Gordon Hard told ABC Wide Bay this morning motorists needed to slow down and drive to the conditions.
"I haven't driven more than 20 kilometres this morning north on Rosedale Road and I've written four speeding tickets well over 115km already," Sergeant Hard said.
"People need to slow down and start driving to the conditions.
"The message is just not getting out there that people need to slow down.
"You're not going to get there any quicker. You're just putting yourselves and other members of the public at risk."