Toowoomba Bypass

The Toowoomba Bypass, known as Toowoomba Second Range Crossing during planning and construction, is a 41.3 km (25.7 mi) grade separated, dual carriageway bypass and partial ring road constructed to the north and west of Toowoomba, Queensland.[1] Construction commenced in April 2016. It opened to traffic on 8 September 2019.

Toowoomba Bypass

Queensland
Toowoomba Bypass during construction, looking east from Cranley.
General information
TypeHighway
Length41.3 km (26 mi)
Opened8 September 2019
Route number(s)
  • (Helidon Spa – Cranley)
  • (Cranley – Charlton)
  • (Charlton – Athol)
Ring road aroundToowoomba
Major junctions
Northeast end Warrego Highway (National Highway A2), Helidon Spa
 
  • Mort Street, Cranley
  • Boundary Street, Cranley
  • Warrego Highway (National Highway A2)
  • Toowoomba Connection Road (National Highway A21)
Southwest end Gore Highway (National Highway A39 / State Route 85), Athol
Location(s)
Major settlementsPostmans Ridge, Withcott, Mount Kynoch, Cranley, Charlton, Wellcamp, Athol
Highway system

History

The city of Toowoomba is situated on a plateau on the edge of the Great Dividing Range. A defining characteristic of the city is its high position on an escarpment of the range, which enjoys sweeping views of the Lockyer Valley below.[2] The existing range road was completed in its current alignment in 1939. This road has unfavourable road geometry including tight corners and a rate of climb as high as 10.5%.[2] The Warrego Highway is a major Brisbane-Darwin highway that passes through Toowoomba and utilises the existing range road. The Gore Highway is a major freight corridor that travels from Melbourne (via the Newell Highway and the Goulburn Valley Highway) and terminates in Toowoomba. In 2015, prior to construction of the bypass, up to 22,000 vehicles (including 2900 heavy vehicles) traversed the city's CBD each day, passing through up to 18 sets of traffic lights.[3]

Planning

The need for a future second range crossing was first highlighted by Queensland Transport in 1991.[2] In 1995, An Ove Arup Traffic Planning Study was completed confirming the need for a second range crossing.[2] In 1997, an alignment route option passing to the immediate north of Toowoomba City was identified in a Maunsell concept phase planning report. The traffic planning study determined that the bypass route has to be close to the city as 85 percent of Warrego Highway traffic is stopping in Toowoomba.[2] The proposed new alignment for the Warrego Highway commenced to the east, bypassing the Toowoomba City centre to the north and linking up to the Warrego and Gore Highways on the western side of Toowoomba.[2] The proposed alignment was 42.2 km long; up to 40 bridge structures; 5 major interchanges; and twin 735 metre long three lane tunnels through the range crest.[2] Detailed planning of the project commenced in 2001 with the preferred alignment option ultimately refined by 2004.[2] In late 2005, the federal government announced funding of $10 million to advance the business case for the project.[2] Auslink committed $43 million towards further planning in 2008.[4][5] A pilot tunnel 2.4m wide and 3.0m high was dug to provide detailed geological information. The pilot tunnel was in the centre of where the westbound tunnel was proposed.[2]

Construction

In August 2015 the Department of Transport & Main Roads awarded the contract to design, construct, and maintain the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing to Nexus Infrastructure, a consortium of the Plenary Group, Cintra, Acciona, Ferrovial and Broadspectrum.[3][6][7][8] Nexus was chosen on the basis that is proposed an open-cut design instead of tunnels, allowing the use of dangerous goods to utilise the bypass.[3] There was also the concern that while the pilot tunnel had been dry at the time of excavation (during a drought), it later drained up to 10,000 litres of water per day.[2]

The Federal and Queensland governments jointly funded the $1.6 billion project on an 80:20 basis. It was delivered in a 25-year public–private partnership with the Nexus Infrastructure consortium. Upon completion, the road would be tolled.[3]

Opening

The bypass opened to traffic on 8 September 2019. The Warrego Highway (A2) was rerouted via the bypass between Helidon Spa and Charlton (in the west), with the original section of Warrego Highway through Toowoomba renamed Toowoomba Connection Road (A21). The Gore Highway (A39) was rerouted via the bypass between Athol and Charlton, with the original section of Gore Highway to Toowoomba renamed Toowoomba Athol Road (A139).[9]

Milestones
New England Hwy overpass (John French VC Bridge)
The viaduct is a key feature of the new motorway
  • 31 January 2014 - Federal and state governments agreed to underwrite $1.6 billion to build a tunnel[10]
  • 21 August 2015 - The Nexus Infrastructure consortium awarded to finance, build, operate and maintain the motorway.[6][3]
  • 15 April 2016 - Start of major construction
  • 8 December 2018 - Western section of the crossing, between Mort Street (Cranley) and the Gore Highway (Athol), opened to traffic [11]
  • Late 2018 - Scheduled completion. Originally scheduled for late 2018, but geological issues on embankment 24 set back expected completion by 4 to 7 months.[12]
  • 7 September 2019 - Community Events including an open day featuring a walk on the viaduct, a 73km bike ride and a 42km marathon.[1]
  • 8 September 2019 - Formal Opening Ceremony. Opening to traffic starting from 6pm. 3 month toll free period begins.

Benefits

The benefits of the new road to road users and the community, as claimed by the Queensland Government, include:[13]

  • Avoids up to 18 sets of traffic lights in Toowoomba
  • Reduces travel time (by up to 40 minutes) and greater travel time reliability
  • Improved freight efficiency by redirecting up to 80% of heavy and super heavy commercial vehicles away from the Toowoomba central business district
  • Reduction in vehicle operating costs by ensuring a maximum slope gradient of 6.5% across the Toowoomba Range, a significant decrease from the existing range crossing which is up to 10%
  • Accommodate regional growth and increase productivity on the Darling Downs
  • Safer and less congested route than the existing range crossing

Route description

The Bypass commences just west of Postman Ridge Road on the Warrego Highway. It deviates north-west passing up the range at a maximum gradient of 6%. After travelling for approximately 15 km the road passes over an 800-metre viaduct and then through a 30-metre cutting, passing under the New England Highway at the top of the range.[6] From there it travels in a general South west direction reconnecting with the Warrego Highway at Charlton and ultimately connecting with Gore Highway at Athol. The bypass features 24 bridges, six interchanges and nine creek crossing.[14] The posted speed limit is 100 kilometres per hour for its entirety except between the western entrance to the Warrego Highway and Mort Street where it is 90.[15] The speed limit is enforced by point to point speed cameras.[16]

Tolls
Toll Gantry on Toowoomba Bypass. Taken on Community Open Day

The Toowoomba Bypass is a Toll road only between Mort Street and Toowoomba Connection Road, with one toll point located just east of the Mort Street Interchange. It is a free-flow system requiring an electronic toll tag (e-TAG). It is mandatory for heavy vehicles to use the toll road unless they have a destination in Toowoomba or Warwick.[17]

Even though the bypass is tolled, it is owned and operated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). Transurban Queensland provides tolling service on the bypass on behalf of TMR.[18]

This table is an excerpt from Toll roads in Australia
Toll prices as of 1 July 2023[19]
Toll roadClass 1 (Motorcycles)Class 2 (Cars)Class 3 (Light Commercial Vehicles)Class 4 (Heavy Commercial Vehicles)Toll increaseToll concessionaire[20]Expiry of toll concession[21][22]
Toowoomba Bypass $1.36 $2.71 $6.72 $26.96 Annually on 1 July, by CPI Department of Transport and Main Roads[lower-alpha 1] –
  1. The Toowoomba Bypass is owned by the government, with tolling services provided by Transurban Queensland[21]
Map showing route in yellow

Exits
Location[23]km[24]miDestinationsNotes
Helidon Spa0.00.0 Warrego Highway (A2) – Brisbane
Toowoomba Connection Road (A21) – Toowoomba		No entry from Toowoomba Connection Road eastbound and no exit to Toowoomba Connection Road westbound (except via a U-turn facility on the Warrego Highway)
Toowoomba Bypass runs north-west as the continuation of the Warrego Highway (A2)
Ballard15.19.4Eastern end of Multuggerah Viaduct
Mount Kynoch15.99.9Western end of the viaduct, crossing the Main Line railway
16.310.1 New England Highway (A3)Bridges over the bypass. No entry or exit here. See Mort Street interchange below.
Harlaxton / Cranley midpoint17.2–
17.4		10.7–
10.8		Bridge over Gowrie Creek, Western railway line and Hermitage Road.
Cranley17.7–
18.4		11.0–
11.4		Mort Street interchange[25]
Hermitage Road – south-east – Toowoomba (via Mort Street)
north-west – Cranley		Entry from and exit to New England Highway
20.6–
21.1		12.8–
13.1		Boundary StreetBridge over the bypass. Eastbound entry and westbound exit.
Charlton26.2–
27.5		16.3–
17.1		 Warrego Highway (A2) – west – Oakey
Toowoomba Connection Road (A21) – east – Toowoomba		Toowoomba Bypass continues south-west as Gore Highway (A39)
Wellcamp30.0–
31.1		18.6–
19.3		Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road - east - Toowoomba /
west – Cecil Plains, Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport
Athol39.4–
40.0		24.5–
24.9		 Gore Highway (A39) westbound flyover.
Toowoomba Athol Road (A139) – east – Toowoomba
41.325.7 Gore Highway (A39)No entry from Toowoomba Athol Road westbound
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. Department of Transport and Main Roads (5 August 2019). "Toowoomba Second Range Crossing". tmr.qld.gov.au. Queensland. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  2. Bathurst, Ron; Heaton, Gil (March 2008). "Toowoomba Bypass - Range Crossing With Tunnels" (PDF). Queensland Roads (5th ed.). Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via Internet Archive. Alt URL
  3. "Toowoomba Second Range Crossing". Queensland Treasury. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  4. "Empire Theatre". Toowoombarc.qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  5. "Abbott commits to Toowoomba bypass". News.smh.com.au. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  6. Truss, Warren (3 July 2015). "Toowoomba Second Range Crossing preferred tenderer announced". Media Release. No. WT200/2015. Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  7. About Nexus Toowoomba Second Range Crossing
  8. Nexus Consortium selected as preferred tenderer for Toowoomba Second Range Crossing Broadspectrum 6 July 2015
  9. "Toowoomba Bypass". Department of Transport and Main Roads. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  10. Department of the Premier and Cabinet (31 January 2014). "Start for Toowoomba Second Range crossing project". Media Statements. The State of Queensland.
  11. "Opening of the western section of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing". Nexus Infrastructure. 8 December 2018.
  12. "Jurassic problem on Toowoomba Second Range Crossing".
  13. Queensland Treasury and Trade (28 January 2014). "Toowoomba Second Range Crossing - Project Fact Sheet" (PDF). Projects Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2014.
  14. Main Roads (1 November 2013). "EPBC Referral Form" (PDF). Technical information. The State of Queensland (Queensland Treasury and Trade). Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  15. Projects Queensland (4 June 2014). "Toowoomba Second Range Crossing: Expression of Interest" (PDF). Expression of Interest. Queensland Government and Australian Government.
  16. "Point-to-point speed cameras to be installed on three major SEQ roads". Brisbane Times. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  17. "Toowoomba Second Range Crossing - Tolling". State of Queensland (Department of Transport and Main Roads). 15 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  18. "Brisbane". Transurban. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  19. "Toll pricing". Linkt. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  20. "Toll roads". Department of Transport and Main Roads. 10 April 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  21. "Brisbane". Transurban. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  22. "Transurban Queensland Euro Medium Term Note Programme Update" (PDF). 31 October 2016. p. 9. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  23. "Toowoomba Second Range Crossing". Department of Transport and Main Roads. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  24. Toowoomba Bypass (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
  25. "Mort Street interchange". Nexus Infrastructure. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
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