Townsville Road and Infrastructure Projects

[trentthomson]

Originally Posted by Gertzy

The article never mentioned anything about the ring road being four-lanes, just the usual 2-lane standard, though however it did mention that a 700m stretch of the ring road just before the Hervey's Range road interchange, will be four lanes.

This was in a government media release last week:

In all, $1.1 billion has been set aside for the Sarina to Cairns section of the Bruce Highway, including:
$150 million for the southern access to Cairns; $40 million to raise the southern approach to the Mulgrave River Bridge; $60 million for up to 30 extra overtaking lanes; $90 million for the Cardwell Range;
$55 million to duplicate the Douglas Arterial; $110 million to build four lanes from Vantassel Street to the Flinders Highway;
$95 million for the Townsville Port Access Road; $150 million for maintenance; and
$105 million for safety works.

http://www.minister.infrastructure.g...AA098_2008.htm

This funding covers 2009-2014, so who knows when the duplication will actually take place.

[trentthomson]

Originally Posted by Gertzy

Yeah its weird to me too, but it has something to do with the ultimate plan for the stretch of Bruce Highway between the Bohle River and Black River. When the Deeragun link road of the Ring Road is complete, the existing highway will shift to the other side of the rail tracks (via this new overpass which will become the southbound lanes, and a new overpass extending off the northbound lanes, hence the reason the northbound lanes curve along with the overpass lanes) and the ring road will use the existing Highway reserve, until they merge before the black river bridge, creating two parallel dual-carriageways.

Thanks Gertzy, that makes sense then. Do you know what the design speed is for the overpass? Is the current highway 80 km/h?

[Burden]

Yeah, I briefly skimmed the paper, I new you'd pick it up. I still think its somewhat stupid not having the whole motorway 4 lanes.

[Gertzy]

Originally Posted by trentthomson

This was in a government media release last week:

http://www.minister.infrastructure.g...AA098_2008.htm

This funding covers 2009-2014, so who knows when the duplication will actually take place.

Its hard to say, Our politicians have promised it to happen before 2012 at least, but commitments change with elections, which party holds office etc. Unfortunetly, whilst it is good news, that funding only gaurentees that the first 5km of the Ring Road (the operational Douglas Motorway) becomes duplicated.

The current Douglas Motorway is 100km/h, and this new bit will be as well. However, due to the fact that we haven't had anything of this calibre in Townsville before 2005 (a Motorway grade road in the Urban part of town), people tend to drive at 80-90km/h, though luckily, people have gotten more used to it, so the majority would drive closer to 100km/h.

[Gertzy]

Originally Posted by SEanll

Yeah, I briefly skimmed the paper, I new you'd pick it up. I still think its somewhat stupid not having the whole motorway 4 lanes.

It is, and i couldn't agree more. I mean low traffic volumes dont really matter to me if the volume for four lanes will be reached within four years after the first section opening, infact Traffic will probably increase by 40-50% with this newfound Highway traffic.

[Burden]

I think more people are put off using the Douglas Arterial due to the fact people only travel 80k's, I tend to agree with you Ben and I believe once it’s opened to 4 lane’s then there will be more action from road users. I wonder how the plans are going to build on and off ramps to connect to the Douglas Arterial, which apparently will cater for the growing needs of Riverside Ridge?

[Gertzy]

Doesn't sound like it'll be happening in the short term, possible when the Douglas Motorway gets duplicated. However, the road reserve is there, so its just a matter of putting the ramps in.

[DogCancer]

good to see funding for projects like this outside of capital cities.... id like hear of projects like these in cities like hobart and cairns, they have traffic problems way bigger than what their population would suggest...

even tho alot of ppl like to see huge PT projects, there still needs to be sufficient arterial road networks

[Jimmy James]

Wasn't there a plan some years ago to build tunnels under the Hobart CBD to deal with thru traffic - I guess it was shelved.

[Gertzy]

Originally Posted by DogCancer

good to see funding for projects like this outside of capital cities.... id like hear of projects like these in cities like hobart and cairns, they have traffic problems way bigger than what their population would suggest...

even tho alot of ppl like to see huge PT projects, there still needs to be sufficient arterial road networks

Luckily for Cairns, their Bruce Highway entrance, south of the city is in the final planning stages for a major upgrade, say an 8-lane Motorway.

[Jesse24]

If your interested, feel free to have a read on Cairns' future motorway:

Masterplan - Cairns Southern Corridor

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=605930

[Burden]

Originally Posted by Gertzy

Luckily for Cairns, their Bruce Highway entrance, south of the city is in the final planning stages for a major upgrade, say an 8-lane Motorway.

Same with Townsvilles Southern Corridor, 6-8 lanes.

[Gertzy]

Nope its just 6 lanes, and even then, the majority of the Southern Corridor will be 4 lanes (thats just going by the existing highway alignment plan). The other two options also include 6 lane sections/

[Burden]

Fuk me the motorway has grown so much in the last month, What a shocker!

Hearvy's RR overpass:


Beck Road Overpass:


Bohle Bridge:


Contruction for the new overpass/interchange at Woodlands:

Aug 08 Info!

The variable message signs will be located on Hervey Range Road before the Ring Road on-ramp for inbound (to city) traffic and before the new Landel Court-St Andrews Close roundabout for outbound (from city) traffic.
This placement has been selected so that people using Hervey Range Road will be given advance notice if the bridges are flooded and can use the Ring Road instead(inbound) or turn at the roundabout and go back to use the Ring Road (outbound).

2. As with other two-laned motorways, there will be no medians except where traffic is merging, such as on-ramp merging traffic areas.

3. Where vehicles enter the Ring Road from the Riverway Drive on-ramp, drivers will NOT be allowed to use the centre or through lane, which will have boundaries marked with solid white lines rather than the current dotted lines.

4. There will be surveillance cameras along the Ring Road as well as provisions (one on each side) for emergency vehicles to do a u-turn or for police to pull over vehicles.

5. There will be new traffic lights at the on and off ramps on Hervey Range Road and at the intersection with Shaw and Dalrymple Roads.

6. The Ring Road is part of the National Motorway Road Network and not a local road. This means the speed limit is 100 km/h and pedestrians/cyclists are not allowed to use the motorway.

7. A shared cyclist-pedestrian pathway will run from the Shaw-Dalrymple intersection to Hervey Range Road, where it will connect with current (and future) cyclist and pedestrian paths.

8. An intersection has been constructed on the Bohle Plains section of the Ring Road that will eventually connect to Kalynda Parade. This is the planned internal road and northern exit for the Kalynda Chase development. The
intersection is in the part of the Ring Road that will eventually become local road when the final motorway section to Deeragun is constructed.

[Burden]

Stuart Bypass (Port Access road STAGE 1)

Concept Planning
Development of overall concept of how the road will operate and evaluation of available options. Start of community engagement program.
COMPLETE

Detailed Design
Preparation of detailed engineering design drawings, plans and schedules of quantities. Services relocation (i.e. water, sewer).
COMPLETE

Preliminary Design
Continued evaluation of design options and preparation of initial engineering plans and drawings.
COMPLETE

Construction
Will begin in mid August 2008. Construction completion is expected within 18 months.
NOW

Plan for stage one


The Bohle Bridge, Overpass etc.

[Gertzy]

The Port Access Road is a seperate Project and not related in any way to the Ring Road.

[Burden]

Yes I know that but I think it would be a good Idea to rename this to something like #Transport Projects: Townsville or something similar! A place to put all the major road network projects from Townsville rather then focusing on a small minority of projects..... Dont you think?

[Gertzy]

If we're gonna do that, then its probably better to make it a Regional thread, so include Cairns, Mackay, Rocky etc.

[crazyknightsfan]

http://www.minister.infrastructure.g...AA129_2008.htm

BUILDING A BETTER MOTORWAY FOR TOWNSVILLE RESIDENTS

Detailed planning on the $55 million duplication of the Douglas Arterial Motorway between Townsville and Thuringowa will begin next month, with an independent consultant expected to be appointed soon to do this work.

The Rudd Labor Government has provided the Queensland Government with $5 million to make sure the necessary planning work is completed by June 2009.

By beginning the critical planning work now, we will be in a position to start delivering on our commitment to fix this section of the Bruce Highway at least 12 months earlier than previously thought possible.

At last year's election, Labor said it would make tackling congestion on our roads a priority. Today's announcement is proof we are moving quickly to honour that pledge.

Once completed, the duplication will go a long way towards addressing the peak hour congestion being experienced by local motorists, providing a faster and safer link through the Hospital/University precinct across the Ross River to the growing south-western suburbs.

This upgrade cannot come soon enough for the residents of Townsville and Thuringowa, with traffic along the Douglas Arterial forecast to grow from 22,000 to 33,000 vehicles a day by 2013.

The planning study will get this project rolling.

The upgrade of this section of the Bruce Highway is an exciting development for the region and will create safer driving conditions and shorter commute times.

Importantly this work will identify a preferred option for progressing the project to the construction phase - one which the local community will be consulted about.

Funding for the Douglas Arterial duplication project is part of the Rudd Labor Government's plan to invest $2.2 billion between 2009 and 2014 on improving the condition and capacity of the Bruce Highway.

This plan includes $490 million for projects in the Townsville-Burdekin area such as:
- $110 million for duplication of the Bruce Highway from Vantassel Street to the Flinders Highway;
- $55 million to duplicate the Douglas Arterial - 5km from University Drive to Upper Ross River Road to four lanes;
- $90 million to realign 4.15km of the Bruce Highway on the northern side of the Cardwell Range;
- $40 million to improve flood immunity at the Gairloch Floodway north of Ingham;
- $50 million to realign and raise Highway from Sandy Corner to Collinsons Lagoon;
- $25 million Burdekin River Bridge Upgrade - to extend the life of the bridge with major maintenance work on steel girders, painting and rust elimination;
- $95 million for the Townsville Port Access Road and;
- $25 million Burdekin Road Safety Audit projects.

For a large, decentralised and rapidly growing state like Queensland, modern well-planned roads are essential. Such infrastructure prevents traffic congestion, cuts commuting times, improves safety, supports export industries and reduces harmful carbon pollution.

[Burden]

Still makes me wonder why the new Motorway opening at the end of this year (Stage 2) didnt have the inclusion of 4 lanes. One would assume it would only be duped within the first couple of years of opening just like the Douglas Artierial.