Townsville Road and Infrastructure Projects

[Gertzy]

The Townsville Ring Arterial is part of the No 1. National Highway route. It Bypasses The Twin Cities of Townsville and Thuringowa.

The Ring Motorway consists of Three (before 2015)to Four (after 2015)different stages.

1. Douglas Arterial Road.
After 15 long years of being in the pipeline for development. The Main Roads department of QLD and The Federal Government had provided $47.7m in funding for this stage in 2002. Construction Started in March 2003. It includes a new bridge over Ross River, Two Lanes and Three Overpasses with on/off ramps with one underpass with the addition of Installing on/off ramps when the Road is upgraded to Four lanes (Stuff Up). Completion due Feb/Mar 2005.

2. Condon Bypass.
Stage 2 of the Ring Road. Currently under planning. Starting from the upper Ross Bridge. This is likely to be two lanes with a new Bridge over the Bohle River. and Overpass over Hervey's Range,Vickers and Beck Rds.

3. Shaw Rd Arterial Extension. (Interim before 2015)
This Stage 3 project will be the Interim Ring Road connection to the Bruce Hwy (No 1 Highway from Cairns to Brisbane). It will start from Hervey's Range Road And Connects at the Shaws Rd, Dalrymple rd Junction. It is likely from there on that Shaws Rd will be Upgraded to Arterial Rd Status.

(After 2015)
4. Northern Beaches Arterial.
According to the TTITR (Townsville-Thuringowa Intergrated Transport Report).
The Interim Ring Road Connection after 2015 will be the Norhtern Beaches Arterial. Not much is really known at the moment but it is included as the Interim either just before 2015 or after 2015. It will connect from the Shaws Rd Extension to the Intersection on the Bruce Hwy at the turn off to Bushland Beach/Mt Low (Which will also become a large satellite City Development, Burdell)

[ShayPlan]

As promised .

Is the ring road bypass of freeway standard? that is interchanges, overpasses , underpasses etc,...

[Gertzy]

Yes, It probably will become the First Freeway Status Arterial road in Northern Queensland. Not very Large Interchanges as i.e Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne Standard mainly to help with first time Arterial users as because we dont have interchanges and if they were to be large and complicated, people will get lost and therefore complain, But yes it's of Freeway Standard but not really not until Douglas Arterial gets upgraded to four lanes, then it could stay as Douglas Arterial or Douglas Motorway (Which I Prefer it to be called) etc.

[Gertzy]

I found out why the Bridge is Three Lanes now. One lane is for Thuringowa Bound Traffic, while the other two are Douglas Bound Traffic, one to follow through from Stage 2 and one to accommodate on ramp traffic.

[Gertzy]

Latest Pics of Douglas Arterial Construction off Main Roads.


View from Douglas Bridge looking down to Upper Ross River Road and bund
November 2004



View of Douglas Bridge from Upper Ross River Road
November 2004


Construction on the new bridge over Ross River - November 2004


Looking towards Angus Smith Drive overpass - November 2004


Construction of concrete barriers with vine motif - November 2004



View standing on University Creek bridge - November 2004

These all taken in November, maybe construction could finish early as Febuary late January or if not March.

[Gertzy]

I heard that construction on the Condon Bypass will start around may 2005, rumoured that is.

[Gertzy]

Does anyone have any more info on this, Oriolus, any more pics etc.

[Gertzy]

Latest construction pictures.

University Drive On/Off Ramps

University-Angus Smith drive O/pass

Angus Smith drv Overpass and offramp

Angus Smith drv O/pass - Riverside blvd O'pass

Riverside Blvd Overpass

Upper Ross River road Overpass.

Upper Ross River Road Turning Lanes (On Right)

[Gertzy]

The section between Anus Smith Drive to Ross River Road looks like its able to accomodate 4 Lanes and from Uni Drive to Angus Smith drive seems to only be 2, I wonder the bloody hell it is like that.

[Wezza]

Where is ANUS Smith Drive Gertzy?? Lol. Oh Angus Smith Drive......

[Oriolus]

I wonder what the road will be called (the bridge as well). I hope the road is just called Douglas Arterial but I think they want to give it a different name - the incredibly crap "Ring Rd" has been suggested.

[Gertzy]

Whoops, Typo. Anus Smith drive. I'd rather have it called Douglas Freeway or Motorway or Douglas-Thuringowa Motorway (Motorway/Freeway/Expressway names after when four damn lanes are placed.) But for now, Douglas arterial, Southern Townsville - Thuringowa Arterial etc for now but "The Incredibly Crap Arterial Rd is relivant for the road as the design is crap, but will ease the trip time.

[Wezza]

I saw them putting the signs up at the entrance near the hospital the other day. Name of the road is.....................wait for it........................ Ring Rd!!! lol How original. What i did notice though, is the onramps have signs saying Motorway Entrance as you turn onto them.

[Gertzy]

Yeah like, Centenary Highway in Brisbane and most Arterial roads that are freeway status have signs saying Motorway Entrance.

[Wezza]

It's a first for Townsville.

[Gertzy]

It is, but I don't know why the hell, the section between Uni Drive and Angus smith Overpass is only two lanes and the section between ASD Overpass and The new bridge looks to be 4 lanes.

[Wezza]

Probably did it with the 4 lane upgrade in mind, make the second stage of that section an easier job?

[Gertzy]

A Little something from the main roads website.

Major Planning Studies in the Northern District

The Ring Road (Stages 2 and 3)
Following a $40m commitment during last year's federal election, Main Roads has begun planning for Stages 2 and 3 of the Ring Road. Stage 2 of the Ring Road is the extension of Shaw Road from Dalrymple Road to Hervey's Range Road. Stage 3 is the connection through Condon from the Douglas Arterial to the Shaw Road extension.

[Oriolus]

You have no idea how much the name "Ring Rd" shits me - it sounds like something a few council workers knock up with a wheelbarrow and couple of shovels, not a $50m freeway. What a joke. It will always be the Douglas Arterial to me.

[hornetfig]

Originally Posted by Oriolus

You have no idea how much the name "Ring Rd" shits me - it sounds like something a few council workers knock up with a wheelbarrow and couple of shovels, not a $50m freeway.

Because we all know how true that is of Melbourne's "Metropolitan Ring Road"