Bruce Highway

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Bruce Highway
Queensland
Map of Queensland with Bruce Highway highlighted in yellow
General information
Type Highway
Length 1,652 km (1,027 mi)
Route number(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Major junctions
North end Captain Cook Highway (National Route 1/State Route 44), Cairns, Queensland
  <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
South end Gateway Motorway (M1), Bald Hills, Brisbane
Location(s)
Major settlements Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Maryborough
Highway system
Highways in Australia
National Highway • Freeways in Australia
Highways in Queensland
Approximate road distances (in kilometres) of towns from Brisbane along the highway

The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is a part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1. Its length is approximately 1,700 kilometres (1,100 mi); it is entirely sealed with bitumen.

The highway is named after the former Queensland and federal politician Henry Adam Bruce. He was the state Minister for Works when the highway was named after him, in the mid-1930s. It once passed through Brisbane, but was truncated at Bald Hills when the recently constructed Gateway Motorway became National Highway 1 upon its opening in December 1986.

The Bruce Highway is the biggest traffic carrier in Queensland. The highway initially joined all the major coastal centres; however, a number of bypasses, particularly in the south, have diverted traffic around these cities to expedite traffic flow and ease urban congestion. As a result, the highway is constantly being shortened. The road is a dual carriageway from Brisbane to Cooroy with some dual carriageway lengths at Gympie, many of these upgrades being completed in the 1980s (Glass House Mountains, Tanawha, Maryborough) and 1990s (Nambour, Yandina, and Cooroy).

In the south the Bruce Highway commences at the bridge over the Pine River at the Gateway Motorway interchange, 21 kilometres (13 mi) north of Brisbane central business district. Recently[when?], the Bruce Highway has changed its route numbering from National Highway 1 to the M1 (motorway road) or A1 (single carriageway, generally with overtaking lanes).[clarification needed]

Sugar cane train crossing, 2003

Several major cities along the route include Maryborough, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, and Cairns. The highway passes the Glasshouse Mountains, rainforests and pastures in the Sunshine Coast, the Gunalda Range (north of Gympie), Mount Larcom (north of Gladstone), and the arid countryside north of Rockhampton; after that, it passes through land predominantly used for sugar cane, crop growing and dairy farms and the sub-tropics and tropics.

Upgrades

One of the largest and major deviations of the Bruce Highway was the Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation. Beginning construction in 1972, the new route took traffic from Gympie Road at Bald Hills to Uhlmann Road at Burpengary along a much more superior alignment which was also constructed to four lanes. The new route was officially opened on 10 November 1977 at a total cost of $20 million.[1]

Due to the nature of wet weather and tropical cyclone prone areas of North Queensland, Bruce Highway is prone to frequent flooding in a number of places. Following the catastrophic Queensland floods in 2010–2011 the Australian Government have commissioned a feasibility study on flood-proofing the Bruce Highway. The feasibility study is to be completed by the middle of 2011.[2]

Bruce Highway is set to undergo redevelopment, realignment, flood-proofing and extension of dual carriageway sections on numerous stretches of the Highway.[3] Former Premier Anna Bligh announced the plans while launching the Queensland Infrastructure Plan. The works are expected to total A$2 billion and include 60 projects over a period of two decades.[3]

A stretch of road between Cardwell and Tully, which is prone to frequent flooding in the wet season, is set to undergo realignment. A new route for the highway through Townsville was under construction with the first stage of the Townsville Ring Road (now called The Ring Road) already completed.

Upgrade to a stretch of the highway north of Townsville has been given approval, and will see the existing dual carriageway to the north extended by another 5–10 km.[vague][citation needed] It will also include installation of traffic lights at Mt Low Parkway, and will be the final stage of the Ring Road link up to this section by 2015. The Queensland Main Roads Department's ultimate concept map of the development also shows that the highway will also progressively become Motorway standard by 2015, with the implementation of interchanges at various junctions.

The highway south of Cairns will also see sections of the highway to the suburb of Edmonton become six lanes, with progressive dual-carriageway redevelopment of the highway to Gordonvale. Labour candidate Jim Turnour has also put ahead that stage 1 of the Cairns Southern Motorway will begin with overpasses at Ray Jones Drive and Sheehy Road if elected.

To improve flood immunity of the highway south of Childers, a new and improved road alignment and a higher bridge over the Isis River were completed in September 2011.[4]

Between Caboolture and the Gateway Motorway, the highway has been widened to eight and six lanes since 2001, including the Dohles Rocks Road to Boundary Road section in October 2004, the Boundary Road to Uhlmann Road section in March 2007, and the latest section Uhlmann Road to Bribie Island Road in November 2009. Further upgrades are under review.

A new interchange is currently under construction at the notorious intersection of Roys Road at Beerwah. It will also connect to the nearby Bells Creek Road, another dangerous intersection, and is due for completion in early 2015.[5] This follows a similar situation at Buchanans Road in Morayfield, the intersection of which was replaced by an interchange in November 1996.

The Pumicestone Road interchange is also undergoing a redesign, replacing the original low-level bridge and ramps constructed in October 1970. Completion is expected in late 2014.

The Nambour Bypass has recently gone through a process of rehabilitation due to the extremely rough surface and dangerous pothole appearances during wet weather. This work was completed in 2009.

As of 2014 Section B of the joint State and Federal funded 61 kilometres (38 mi) Cooroy to Curra upgrade of the highway is open. Due to the new highway change, one of the local schools, Federal State School, was relocated. Early works for Section A has commenced. When completed, the Cooroy to Curra upgrade will bypass the town of Gympie and a mainly 2 lane section will be replaced with a 4 lane dual-carriageway.[6]

Major Upgrades - Bald Hills to Cooroy

  • August 1966 - Caboolture Bypass Stage 1. Single-carriageway completed between Burpengary Creek and Bribie Island Road.[7]
  • August 1970 - Caboolture Bypass Stage 2. Single-carriageway completed between Bribie Island Road and Red Road.[8]
  • December 1972 - Single-carriageway deviation between Eumundi and Cooroy, bypassing Eumundi Range Road.[9]
  • December 1973 - Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 1. 1.3 mile-long dual-carriageways completed between Roghan Road and Strathpine Road.[10]
  • December 1973 - Beerwah Bypass. 2.5km-long deviation completed between Roys Road and Foley Road including a new concrete bridge across Coochin Creek.[11]
  • November 1974 - Browns Creek Deviation. 6km-long single-carriageway completed between Browns Creek and Eerwah Vale.[12]
  • December 1974 - Glasshouse Mountains Bypass. 1.5km-long deviation completed between Glasshouse Mountains Sportsground and Kings Road including a new concrete bridge across Coonowrin Creek.[13]
  • August 1976 - Eumundi Bypass. 2.4km-long deviation completed between Eerwah Vale and Main Creek.[14]
  • 2 August 1976 - Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 2. 12km-long single-carriageway deviation completed between Strathpine Road and Boundary Road.[15]
  • March 1977 - Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 3. Second carriageway completed between Strathpine Road and Anzac Avenue.[16]
  • 10 November 1977 - Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 4. Boundary Road to Deception Bay Road section completed.[17]
  • 5 December 1978 - Bribie Island Road Interchange.[18]
  • 9 August 1979 - Burpengary to Bribie Island Road Duplication. Second carriageway completed between Burpengary Creek and Bribie Island Road.[19]
  • 9 December 1985 - Beerburrum Creek to Caloundra Road Deviation. Major 26.5km-long four lane deviation completed between Beerburrum Creek and Caloundra Road.[20]
  • 16 November 1989 - Tanawha Deviation. Four lane deviation completed between Caloundra Road and Maroochydore Road.
  • 16 October 1990 - Nambour Bypass Stage 1. Single-carriageway bypass of Nambour completed between Maroochydore Road and Parklands.
  • 20 December 1993 - Nambour Bypass Stage 2. Second carriageway completed between Maroochydore Road and Parklands.
  • 1994 - Cooroy Bypass. Single-carriageway bypass of Cooroy completed.[21]
  • 13 July 1997 - Yandina Bypass. Dual-carriageway bypass of Yandina completed.[22]
  • April 2002 - Gateway Motorway to Dohles Rocks Road six-laning.
  • 18 September 2003 - Yandina to Cooroy Duplication. Dual-carriageways completed between Browns Creek and Eumundi Range.
  • 20 January 2005 - Dohles Rocks Road to Boundary Road six-laning. Six-lane upgrade completed between Dohles Rocks Road and Boundary Road, including upgrades to the Anzac Avenue interchange.[23]
  • 12 March 2007 - Boundary Road to Uhlmann Road six-laning. Six-lane upgrade completed between Boundary Road and Uhlmann Road, including upgrades to the Deception Bay Road and Uhlmann Road interchanges.[24]
  • 5 November 2009 - Uhlmann Road to Bribie Island Road six-laning. Six-lane upgrade completed between Uhlmann Road and Bribie Island Road, including upgrades to the Bribie Island Road interchange.

Major Upgrades - Cooroy to Rockhampton

  • Wallaville - Burnett River Bridge (May 1940)
  • Ambrose to Raglan Deviation (December 1967)
  • Gunalda Bypass (April 1973)
  • Gavial Deviation (Rockhampton) - Roope Road to Egan's Hill (1974)
  • Bauple Bypass (August 1976)
  • Bajool Bypass (May 1977)
  • Howard-Torbanlea Deviation (May 1984)
  • Rockhampton Deviation – Yeppen Yeppen Crossing to Egan's Hill (March 1986)
  • Maryborough Bypass (14 September 1990)
  • Wallaville Deviation - Tim Fischer Bridge (1999)
  • Gunalda Range Deviation (14 February 2001)
  • Isis River Bridge replacement (August 2011)
  • Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section B (18 December 2012)
  • Rockhampton – Yeppen North (28 October 2013)
  • Calliope Interchange (December 2013)
  • Rockhampton - Yeppen South (22 October 2015)
  • Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section A (to be completed late 2016)[25]

Major Upgrades - Rockhampton to Townsville

  • Bowen - Don River Bridge (10 May 1973)
  • Parkhurst - Ramsey Creek Bridge (January 1975)
  • Mackay - Bakers Creek Deviation (23 December 1977)
  • Mackay Deviation – Ron Camm Bridge (16 July 1980)
  • Rockhampton Deviation – Neville Hewitt Bridge (16 August 1980)
  • Marlborough-Sarina alignment change (29 October 1982)
  • Thoopara - 3.4 km deviation and new bridge over O'Connell River (September 1984)
  • Townsville Deviation - Alignment change from Ingham/Charters Towers/Bowen Roads/Stuart Drive to Nathan/Duckworth Streets/University Road (25 May 1992)
  • Yaamba/Milman Deviation - new alignment with higher-level bridges at Alligator and Plentiful Creeks in response to 1991 Flood (April 1994)
  • Mackay Deviation - Nebo Road/North Coast Railway realignment overpass (2 May 1993)
  • Mackay - Ron Camm Bridge duplication (18 December 1998)
  • Mackay - Boundary Road to Farrellys Lane duplication and intersection upgrade (December 2009)
  • Mackay - Boundary Road to City Gates intersection upgrades (2012)
  • Mackay - Farrellys Road to Temples Lane duplication and intersection upgrades (October 2013)
  • Brandon - Sandy Corner to Collinsons Lagoon realignment for flood mitigation and cane rail overpass (February 2015)
  • Townsville - Vantassel Street to Cluden Drive duplication, rail overpass and intersection upgrades (October 2015).

Major Upgrades - Townsville to Cairns

  • Gordonvale/Aloomba - Assman Road to Cairns Road realignment - Carl Wordsworth Bridge (December 1961)
  • Rollingstone Deviation (1962)
  • Bellenden Ker Deviation (1968)
  • Ingham Deviation - John Row Bridge at Herbert River (28 September 1968)
  • Bellenden Plains/Murray River Deviation - replaced in 2008 by Tully Deviation (December 1968)
  • Townsville - Black River Bridge (October 1971)
  • Innisfail Deviation – Centenary Bridge (9 July 1973)
  • Innisfail - Sir Joseph McAvoy Bridge (1981)
  • Rollingstone Creek - High-level bridge (5 November 1984)
  • Cardwell Range Deviation (South) (November 1986)
  • Babinda Deviation Stage 1: Lloyd's Corner/Stager Road to Munro Street (December 1991)
  • Babinda Deviation Stage 2: Munro Street to Nelson Road (1992)
  • Babinda Deviation Stage 3: Nelson Road to Frenchmans Creek (1993)
  • Townsville Deviation – Woolcock Street extension (March 1998)
  • Edmonton Deviation - realignment and four-laning (1999)
  • Cairns - Ray Jones Drive to Sheehy Road six-laning (2002)
  • Cairns - Sheehy Road to Foster Road six-laning (2004)
  • Tully deviation (2008)
  • Townsville Ring Road Stage 3 - Change of course for National Highway A1 (17 April 2009)
  • Higher-level Mulgrave River Bridge - Desmond Trannore Bridge (20 April 2009)
  • Mount Low Overpass Townsville (June 2009)
  • Cardwell Range Deviation (North) (1 November 2013)[26]
  • Cairns Southern Access Upgrade – Stage 1 (May 2014)

Projects

List of projects on the Bruce Highway
Project Length (km) Construction dates Value Status Description Distance from
Brisbane (km)
Start End
Cooroy to Federal 13.5 July 2013[27] Late 2016[27] $590 million[27] Under construction Section A of Cooroy to Curra. Four lane divided highway, new alignment. 126
Federal to Traveston 12 September 2009[28] December 2012[28] $513 million[28] Complete Section B of Cooroy to Curra. Four lane divided highway, new alignment. 140
Yeppen South 2.8 27 November 2013[29] 2016[29] $296 million[29] Under construction New elevated crossing across the Yeppen Floodplain as additional carriageway 628
Yeppen North 1 27 November 2013[30] $85 million[30] Complete Safety and traffic flow improvements 631
Mackay Ring Road (Stage 1) 11.3 Mid 2017[31] Late 2019[31] $560 million[31] In planning Two lane highway, new alignment. 963
Townsville Ring Road (Section 4) 11 TBA TBA $200 million[32] In planning 4 lane motorway, new alignment. 1366
Cairns Bruce Highway Upgrade (Sheehy Road to Ray Jones Drive) 3.4 2010[33] April 2014[33] $150 million[33] Complete New interchanges, widening of road 1696

Highway towns

Travelling north, the following towns and small cities are found on (or very close to) the Bruce Highway.

The Bruce Highway in Cairns southern suburbs at morning peak hour.

Major intersections

LGA Location km[34] mi Exit Destinations Notes
Brisbane Bald Hills 0 0 127 Gateway Motorway (M1) east / Gympie Arterial Road (M3) south – Gold Coast, Brisbane, Brisbane Airport Southern highway terminus; partial Y interchange: no access between Gateway Motorway and Gympie Arterial Road
Moreton Bay Griffin–Murrumba Downs boundary 2.5 1.6 130 Dohles Rocks Road – Murrumba Downs, Griffin Half-diamond interchange: northbound exit and southbound entrance
Kallangur–Mango Hill–North Lakes tripoint 5.6 3.5 133 Anzac Avenue (State Route 71) – Petrie, Redcliffe Parclo interchange
North Lakes–Dakabin–Narangba tripoint 10.3 6.4 138 Boundary Road – Dakabin, Deception Bay, Alma Park Zoo
Deception Bay–Burpengary boundary 14.1 8.8 142 Deception Bay Road (State Route 26 east) – Burpengary, Narangba, Deception Bay
Burpengary 18.6 11.6 146 Uhlmann Road (State Route 60 west) – Burpengary
Burpengary–Morayfield boundary 20.3 12.6 — Caboolture BP Travel Centre
Morayfield 22.1 13.7 150 Buchanan Road – Morayfield Dumbbell interchange
Caboolture 24.5 15.2 152 Lower King Street west / Bribe Island Road east – Caboolture, Bribie Island Parclo interchange; northern ramps merge with D'Aguilar Highway southern ramps
26.1 16.2 D'Aguilar Highway (State Route 85) – Kilcoy Trumpet interchange
Caboolture–Elimbah boundary 29.6 18.4 — Pumicestone Road – Elimbah, Toorbul, Donnybrook Diamond interchange, upgrade currently under construction
Elimbah 35.5 22.1 — Steve Irwin Way (Tourist Drive 24) – Beerwah, Glass House Mountains
Sunshine Coast Glass House Mountains–Coochin Creek boundary 43.2 26.8 — Johnston Road – Mobil Service Centre, Wild Horse Mountain Lookout
Meridan Plains–Glenview boundary 60.6 37.7 — Steve Irwin Way (State Route 6 / Tourist Drive 24) west / Caloundra Road (State Route 6) east Parclo interchange
Palmview 61.8–
64.0		 38.4–
39.8		 — Fizzo Road north / Pignata Road south – Glenview, Palmview Frontage roads
Tanawha–Sippy Downs boundary 66.2 41.1 194 Sunshine Motorway (State Route 70) – Buderim, Mooloolaba
Forest Glen–Chevallum boundary 71.5–
72.5		 44.4–
45.0		 — Mons Road – Forest Glen, Buderim
Woombye 73.7 45.8 — Maroochydore Road (State Route 8) east / Nambour Connection Road west – Nambour, Woombye, Maroochydore, Big Pineapple Roundabout interchange
Bli Bli–Nambour boundary 80.7 50.1 — Nambour–Bli Bli Road (State Route 10 east / Tourist Drive 23 west) – Nambour, Bli Bli, Mapleton, Sunshine Coast Airport Dumbbell interchange
Bli Bli–Parklands–Kulangoor tripoint 83.0 51.6 — Nambour Connection Road – Parklands Partial parclo interchange: no northbound entrance ramp
Yandina 87.4 54.3 — Yandina–Coolum Road (State Route 11) – Yandina, Coolum Beach Dumbbell interchange
Eumundi 95.8 59.5 — Eumundi–Noosa Road (State Route 12 east) – Eumundi, Noosa, Kenilworth Hybrid interchange; northbound exit and southbound entrance only
Eerwah Vale 98.5 61.2 — Memorial Drive / Eumundi–Kenilworth Road – Eumundi, Noosa, Kenilworth Hybrid interchange; southbound exit and northbound entrance only
Noosa Cooroy 103 64 — Myall Street (State Route 6) – Cooroy, Noosa Trumpet interchange; route transition: northern end of M1, southern end of A1
Gympie Gympie 144 89 Mary Valley Road (State Route 51) – Kandanga
Bells Bridge 159 99 Wide Bay Highway (State Route 49) – Kilkivan
Fraser Coast Tinana 227 141 Gympie Road (State Route 57) – Maryborough, Hervey Bay
Bundaberg Childers 289 180 Isis Highway (State Route 52) south – Biggenden
Apple Tree Creek–North Isis boundary 296 184 Isis Highway (State Route 3) north – Bundaberg, Bargara Partially grade separated
Gin Gin 344 214 Gin Gin Road (State Route 3) – Bundaberg
Gladstone Benaraby–Wurdong Heights boundary 491 305 Gladstone–Benaraby Road (State Route 58) – Gladstone
Calliope 502 312 Dawson Highway (State Route 60) – Calliope, Rolleston, Gladstone Diamond interchange with additional looped ramp
Mount Larcom 536 333 Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road (State Route 58) – Gladstone
Rockhampton Gracemere–Port Curtis boundary 605 376 Burnett Highway (A3) – Mount Morgan, Dululu
Port Curtis–Fairy Bower boundary 608 378 Capricorn Highway (A4) – Gracemere, Emerald Roundabout
Rockhampton 612 380 Fitzroy Street to Rockhampton–Emu Park Road – Emu Park
Parkhurst 621 386 Yeppoon Road (Tourist Drive 10) – Yeppoon
Mackay Ooralea–Paget–West Mackay tripoint 943 586 Peak Downs Highway (State Route 70) – Nebu, Eungella
Townsville Stuart 1,324 823 Flinders Highway (A6) – Charters Towers
Johnstone Belvedere–Goondi boundary 1,599 994 Palmerston Highway (State Route 25) – Millaa Millaa, Atherton
Cairns Gordonvale 1,659 1,031 Gillies Highway (State Route 52) – Yungaburra, Atherton
Cairns 1,682 1,045 Captain Cook Highway (National Route 1) – Mareeba, Mossman Northern highway terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ↑ Caboolture in 1970's. Retrieved on 2 February 2012.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ [1]
  6. ↑ http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Projects/Name/B/Bruce-Highway-Cooroy-to-Curra.aspx
  7. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1966-1967
  8. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1970-1971
  9. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1972-1973
  10. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1973-1974
  11. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1973-1974
  12. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1974-1975
  13. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1974-1975
  14. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1976-1977
  15. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1976-1977
  16. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1976-1977
  17. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1977-1978
  18. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1978-1979
  19. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1979-1980
  20. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1985-1986
  21. ↑ Queensland Transport Annual Report 1993-1994
  22. ↑ Department of Main Roads Annual Report 1996-1997
  23. ↑ [2]
  24. ↑ [3]
  25. ↑ QLD Transport page on Cooroy to Curra project Accessed 25 August 2013
  26. ↑ [4]
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Bruce_Highway&oldid=1007672"