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. 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%. 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 and terminates in Toowoomba. In 2015, prior to construction of the bypass, up to 22,000 vehicles traversed the city's CBDeach day, passing through up to 18 sets of traffic lights.
Planning
The need for a future second range crossing was first highlighted by Department of Transport and Main Roads in 1991. In 1995, An Ove Arup Traffic Planning Study was completed confirming the need for a second range crossing. 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. 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. 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. Detailed planning of the project commenced in 2001 with the preferred alignment option ultimately refined by 2004. In late 2005, the federal government announced funding of $10 million to advance the business case for the project. Auslink committed $43 million towards further planning in 2008. 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.
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. 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. There was also the concern that while the pilot tunnel had been dry at the time of excavation, it later drained up to 10,000 litres of water per day. 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.
Milestones
31 January 2014 - Federal and state governments agreed to underwrite $1.6 billion to build a tunnel
21 August 2015 - The Nexus Infrastructure consortium awarded to finance, build, operate and maintain the motorway.
8 December 2018 - Western section of the crossing, between Mort Street and the Gore Highway, opened to traffic
Late 2018 - Scheduled completion. Originally scheduled for late 2018, but geological issues on embankment 24 set back expected completion by 4 to 7 months.
7 September 2019 - Community Events including an open day featuring a walk on the viaduct, a 73km bike ride and a 42km marathon.
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:
Avoids up to 18 sets of traffic lights in Toowoomba
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 6 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. 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. 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. The speed limit is enforced by point to point speed cameras.
Tolls
The Toowoomba Bypass is a Toll road, with one toll point located just east of the Mort Street Interchange. It is a free-flow system requiring an electronic toll tag. It is mandatory for heavy vehicles to use the toll road unless they have a destination in Toowoomba or Warwick.
