A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Bruce Highway | |
|---|---|
 | |
Map of Queensland with Bruce Highway highlighted in yellow | |
| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 1,679 km (1,043 mi) |
| Route number(s) |
|
| Major junctions | |
| North end |   Captain Cook Highway (National Route 1 / State Route 44), Cairns, Queensland |
| |
| South end |  Gateway Motorway (M1), Bald Hills, Brisbane |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Maryborough, Gympie |
| Highway system | |
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 on its way to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1, the longest highway route in Australia. Its length is approximately 1,679 kilometres (1,043 mi); it is entirely sealed with bitumen. The highway is named after a popular former Queensland and federal politician, Harry Bruce. Bruce was the state Minister for Works in the mid-1930s when the highway was named after him. The highway once passed through Brisbane, but was truncated at Bald Hills when the Gateway Motorway became National Highway 1 upon its opening in December 1986.[citation needed]
It was previously known as the Great North Coast Road, being renamed as the Bruce Highway in 1934 after the state's Minister for Public Works, Henry Bruce.[1]
The highway is the biggest traffic carrier in Queensland. It 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 Kybong 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).[citation needed]
The highway commences just south of the bridge over the Pine River at the Gateway Motorway interchange, 21 kilometres (13 mi) north of the Brisbane central business district. The highway has changed its route numbering from National Highway 1 to the M1 (motorway road) or A1 (single carriageway, generally with overtaking lanes).[citation needed]
Major cities along the route include Gympie, 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.[citation needed]
State-controlled road
The Bruce Highway is a state-controlled road, subdivided into fourteen sections for administrative and funding purposes. All sections are part of the National Highway.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
The sections are:
- 10A – Brisbane to Gympie
- 10B – Gympie to Maryborough
- 10C – Maryborough to Gin Gin
- 10D – Gin Gin to Benaraby
- 10E – Benaraby to Rockhampton
- 10F – Rockhampton to St Lawrence
- 10G – St Lawrence to Mackay
- 10H – Mackay to Proserpine
- 10J – Proserpine to Bowen
- 10K – Bowen to Ayr
- 10L – Ayr to Townsville
- 10M – Townsville to Ingham
- 10N – Ingham to Innisfail
- 10P – Innisfail to Cairns
State-controlled roads that intersect with the highway are listed in the main article.
Route description
Commencing in Bald Hills at the junction of the Gateway Motorway and Gympie Arterial Road, the Bruce Highway is a motorway standard road (signed as the M1) for its first 136 kilometres (85 mi) to Kybong, where it becomes a two-lane sealed highway for most of its remainder. The first 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the Dohles Rocks Road interchange has eight lanes and a variable (electronically signed) speed limit of up to 100 kilometres per hour (60 mph). The next 22 kilometres (14 mi) to the Caboolture / Bribie Island interchange has six lanes and a maximum speed limit of 100 kilometres per hour (60 mph). From there to Kybong the road has four lanes and, with one short exception, a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour (70 mph).[citation needed]
Brisbane to Rockhampton
Bald Hills to Caboolture
This section of the Bruce Highway crosses the Pine River into the City of Moreton Bay, passing through mainly urban areas before crossing the Caboolture River and reaching the Caboolture / Bribie Island interchange after 24.5 kilometres (15.2 mi). It runs past or through Murrumba Downs, Griffin, Kallangur, Mango Hill, North Lakes, Dakabin, Narangba, Burpengary and Morayfield. On the way it is crossed by the Redcliffe Peninsula railway line and passes the Caboolture BP Travel Centre.[citation needed]
Caboolture to Caloundra
The Caboolture / Bribie Island interchange also provides access to the D'Aguilar Highway via a service road. After the D'Aguilar Highway interchange the Bruce passes through mainly rural areas and the Beerburrum and Beerwah State Forests, entering the Sunshine Coast Region before reaching the Caloundra Road interchange after a further 36.1 kilometres (22.4 mi). It passes the southern entry to Steve Irwin Way, a bypassed section of the highway, which provides access to Beerburrum, Glass House Mountains, Beerwah, Australia Zoo and Landsborough before terminating at the Caloundra Road interchange.[citation needed]
The Caloundra Road Interchange is also Australia's first Diverging diamond interchange.[10][11]
Caloundra to Noosa
The next 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) to the Sunshine Motorway interchange, providing access to the Sunshine Coast, widens to 3 lanes in either direction. It then narrows back to 2 lanes. After another 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) the Maroochydore Road interchange provides access to Maroochydore and Woombye. The Bli Bli Road interchange, after a further 7 kilometres (4.3 mi), provides access to Bli Bli and Nambour. The Yandina–Coolum Road interchange, after 6.7 kilometres (4.2 mi), provides access to Yandina and Coolum. The Eumundi interchange, after 8.4 kilometres (5.2 mi), provides access to Eumundi and Noosa. The Cooroy interchange, after 7.2 kilometres (4.5 mi), provides access to Cooroy, Tewantin and Noosa. Total distance from Caloundra Road to this interchange is 42.4 kilometres (26.3 mi).[citation needed]
Noosa to Gympie
The 33 kilometres (21 mi) to the end of the M1 at Kybong includes three interchanges that provide access to the Old Bruce Highway. From Kybong the highway is designated A1. It has numerous parts with lower speed limits, including urban areas, high crash zones and roadwork sites. After 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Kybong the Mary Valley Road interchange provides access to the west of the Mary River. The highway then passes through the Gympie urban fringe, with several at grade intersections providing access to various parts of the city. North of Gympie, 14.3 kilometres (8.9 mi) from the Mary Valley Road interchange, the Wide Bay Highway interchange is reached, providing access to Kilkivan. Total distance from the Cooroy interchange is 55.4 kilometres (34.4 mi).[citation needed]
Gympie to Maryborough
The 73.9 kilometres (45.9 mi) from the Wide Bay Highway interchange to the Maryborough–Biggenden Road interchange at Maryborough passes through Tiaro and the Gympie Road exit to Maryborough before crossing the Mary River.[citation needed]
Maryborough to Rockhampton
The highway maintains a speed limit of 100 occasionally slowing down to 60 or 50 while driving through several small towns including Childers, Gin Gin, Miriam Vale and Mount Larcom before reaching Rockhampton.[citation needed]
Development of the M1
With the completion of Section C of the Bruce Highway – Cooroy to Curra upgrade project (Traveston to Woondum) in February 2018[12] the M1 has now been extended to Kybong, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of Gympie. The Bruce Highway from Kybong to Gympie remains signed as A1. Section D of the project (Woondum to Curra, including a bypass of Gympie) will, when completed in 2024, become the next stage of the M1.[13]
While the references use Woondum as a designator for sections of the project the new intersection that marks the end of the M1 is wholly within the locality of Kybong, although bordered on two sides by Woondum.[14][15]
History
Remnants of early roads to the north of Brisbane
Roads to the north of Brisbane in the early days of settlement were constrained by the need to use reliable low level crossings of rivers and creeks well upstream from the coast.[citation needed]
South Pine Road runs from Enoggera Road at Alderley through Everton Park to Everton Hills, crossing Kedron Brook.[16]
Bunya Road runs from South Pine Road at Everton Hills to Eatons Crossing Road at Draper,[17] after crossing the South Pine River at Drapers Crossing (a fordable crossing).[citation needed]
Old Northern Road runs from South Pine Road at Everton Park to another South Pine Road at Albany Creek.[18] Eatons Crossing Road runs from this road (north of the South Pine River) to Draper.[19] This South Pine Road continues north over the South Pine River via Cash's Crossing and thence to Gympie Road at Strathpine.[20]
Old North Road links this South Pine Road at Brendale to Youngs Crossing Road at Bray Park. Youngs Crossing Road continues to Dayboro Road at Petrie after crossing the North Pine River.[21] Further upstream, Whiteside Road[22] (now submerged by Lake Samsonvale) provided a fordable crossing at Quinn's Crossing[23] when water level was too high at Youngs Crossing.[citation needed]
Further north, another segment of Old North Road starts at Caboolture River Road in Upper Caboolture, crosses the Caboolture River at Zillmans Crossing[24] and proceeds to Wamuran.[25]
Early roads from the North Pine River crossing to the Caboolture River crossing may have included parts of:[citation needed]
- Narangba Road from Anzac Avenue in Kallangur to Narangba, where it becomes (after a short distance as Main Street) Oakey Flat Road , to Morayfield Road at Morayfield.[26]
- Burpengary Road from Boundary Road at Dakabin to Burpengary, where it becomes Station Road. From Station Road the direct route to Morayfield follows Obrien Road and Lindsay Road.[27]
- Old Gympie Road from Anzac Avenue in Kallangur to Morayfield Road at Burpengary.[28]
- Caboolture River Road from Morayfield Road at Morayfield to Old North Road at Upper Caboolture.[29]
The Oakey Flat Road route avoids the crossing of Burpengary Creek on Obrien Road at Burpengary. From Oakey Flat Road at Morayfield a route consisting of Williamson Road, Forest Hills Drive, Haywood Road and Moorina Road runs to Caboolture River Road at Upper Caboolture,[30] avoiding the crossing of Sheep Station Creek on Morayfield Road at Morayfield.[citation needed]
Early roads from Caboolture (after travelling east from Wamuran) to Landsborough and then to the Bruce Highway at Palmview may have included parts of:[citation needed]
- Another segment of Old Gympie Road from Caboolture to Landsborough.[31]
- Beerburrum Road from Caboolture to Beerburrum,[32] where it joins the Steve Irwin Way to Landsborough and Palmview.
Tom Petrie’s roads
Murrumba Homestead Grounds
The following quotations are from the Murrumba Homestead Grounds article.[33]
- "To facilitate his timber operations Tom Petrie marked out several early northern roads, including a track between the Pine River and Bald Hills and a trail from Murrumba to Maroochydore, which later became the Gympie Road. He also blazed a track from North Pine to Humpybong (Redcliffe)."
- "In 1869 Cobb & Co opened a coach route from Brisbane to Gympie via the route Tom had helped mark out."
Anzac Avenue
Anzac Avenue is part of the history of the Bruce Highway as the highway followed it from Petrie to Rothwell for many years prior to the construction of its present alignment.[citation needed]
The following quotation is from the Anzac Avenue article.[34]
- "A road from Bald Hills to Redcliffe was formed by the early 1860s, but by 1864 this was almost impassable. Tom Petrie marked a track from the Hays Inlet crossing and in the early 1870s assisted in surveying the road. Known as the "Brisbane Road" it became the primary way of accessing the Redcliffe Peninsula by road."
Upgrades
One of the most dramatic deviations of the 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 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.[35]
Due to the nature of wet weather and tropical cyclone prone areas of North Queensland, the highway is prone to frequent flooding in a number of places. Following the catastrophic Queensland floods in 2010–2011 the Australian Government commissioned a feasibility study on flood-proofing the highway.[36]
Numerous stretches of the highway are set to undergo redevelopment, realignment, flood-proofing and extension of dual carriageway sections.[37] Former Premier Anna Bligh announced the plans while launching the Queensland Infrastructure Plan (Now (A part of) known as Building Our Future, it includes all Transport Infrastructure Projects Nation-wide). The works are expected to total A$2 billion and include 77[38] projects over a period of two decades.[37] As of December 2020, 23 major projects had been completed under the program including the delivery of 64 bridges, 30 new rest stops, 300 km safer roadsides, and 190 km wide centre line treatments.[39]
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.[citation needed]
An 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 11 km. 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 shows that the highway will progressively become Motorway standard by 2015, with the implementation of interchanges at various junctions.[citation needed]
The highway south of Cairns will see sections of the highway to the suburb of Edmonton become six lanes, with progressive dual-carriageway redevelopment of the highway to Gordonvale.[citation needed]
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.[40]
Between the Gateway Motorway and Caboolture, 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. Extension of the six lane section to Steve Irwin Way is proposed to commence in 2020.[citation needed]
A new interchange has been built at the notorious intersection of Roys Road at Beerwah. It also connects to the nearby Bells Creek Road, eliminating another dangerous intersection.[41] This follows a similar situation at Buchanans Road in Morayfield, the intersection of which was replaced by an interchange in November 1996.[citation needed]
The Pumicestone Road interchange has also undergone a redesign, replacing the original low-level bridge and ramps constructed in October 1970.[citation needed]
The Nambour-Bli Bli Road interchange was upgraded in 1998 from a half-diamond to a dumbbell. The old interchange had lasted just 8 years. Later on, the entire Nambour Bypass went through a process of rehabilitation due to the extremely rough surface and dangerous pothole appearances during wet weather. This work was completed in 2009.[citation needed]
As of 2020 Sections A, B & C of the joint State and Federal funded 61 kilometres (38 mi) Cooroy to Curra upgrade of the highway are open. Early works for Section D has commenced. When completed, the Cooroy to Curra upgrade will bypass the town of Gympie and a predominantly two lane section will be replaced with a four lane dual-carriageway.[42]
Major upgrades: Bald Hills to Cooroy
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| August 1966 | Caboolture Bypass Stage 1. Single-carriageway completed between Burpengary Creek and Bribie Island Road.[43] |
| August 1970 | Caboolture Bypass Stage 2. Single-carriageway completed between Bribie Island Road and Red Road.[44] |
| December 1972 | Single-carriageway deviation between Eumundi and Cooroy, bypassing Eumundi Range Road.[45] |
| December 1973 | Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 1. 1.3 mile-long dual-carriageways completed between Roghan Road and Strathpine Road.[46] |
| December 1973 | Beerwah Bypass. 2.5 km-long deviation completed between Roys Road and Foley Road including a new concrete bridge across Coochin Creek.[46] |
| November 1974 | Browns Creek Deviation. 6 km-long single-carriageway completed between Browns Creek and Eerwah Vale.[47] |
| December 1974 | Glasshouse Mountains Bypass. 1.5 km-long deviation completed between Glasshouse Mountains Sportsground and Kings Road including a new concrete bridge across Coonowrin Creek.[47] |
| August 1976 | Eumundi Bypass. 2.4 km-long deviation completed between Eerwah Vale and Main Creek.[48] |
| 2 August 1976 | Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 2. 12 km-long single-carriageway deviation completed between Strathpine Road and Boundary Road.[48] |
| March 1977 | Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 3. Second carriageway completed between Strathpine Road and Anzac Avenue.[48] |
| 10 November 1977 | Bald Hills to Burpengary Deviation Stage 4. Boundary Road to Deception Bay Road section completed.[49] |
| 5 December 1978 | Bribie Island Road Interchange.[50] |
| 9 August 1979 | Burpengary to Bribie Island Road Duplication. Second carriageway completed between Burpengary Creek and Bribie Island Road.[51] |
| 30 June 1983 | Bribie Island to Six Mile Creek Duplication. 6.5 km of dual carriageway completed between Bribie Island Road and Six Mile Creek.[52] |
| 9 December 1985 | Beerburrum Creek to Caloundra Road Deviation. Major 26.5 km-long four lane deviation completed between Beerburrum Creek and Caloundra Road.[53] |
| September 1987 | Caloundra Road to Sippy Creek duplication[citation needed] |
| December 1987 | Station Road Overpass (at Burpengary)[citation needed] |
| 16 November 1989 | Tanawha Deviation. Four lane deviation completed between Caloundra Road and Maroochydore Road.[citation needed] |
| January 1990 | Johnston Road Interchange. Grade-separated diamond interchange completed as part of Moby Vic's Service Centre development.[citation needed] |
| 23 November 1990 | Nambour Bypass Stage 1. Single-carriageway bypass of Nambour completed between Maroochydore Road and Parklands.[citation needed] |
| December 1992 | Dohles Rocks Road half-interchange[citation needed] |
| 20 December 1993 | Nambour Bypass Stage 2. Second carriageway completed between Maroochydore Road and Parklands.[citation needed] |
| April 1994 | Deception Bay Road northbound loop ramp[citation needed] |
| 17 May 1994 | Cooroy Bypass. Single-carriageway bypass of Cooroy officially opened by Minister for Transport David Hamill.[54] |
| 17 July 1997 | Yandina Bypass. Dual-carriageway bypass of Yandina officially opened by Federal Minister for Transport John Sharp.[55] |
| 23 July 2002 | Gateway Motorway to Dohles Rocks Road six-laning.[citation needed] |
| 19 September 2003 | Yandina to Cooroy Duplication. Dual-carriageways completed between Browns Creek and Eumundi Range.[citation needed] |
| 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.[56] |
| 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.[57] |
| 5 November 2009 | Uhlmann Road to Bribie Island Road six-laning. Six-lane upgrade completed between Uhlmann and Bribie Island Roads, including upgrades to the Bribie Island Road interchange.[citation needed] |
| 8 September 2017 | Boundary Road interchange upgrade.[citation needed] |
| August 2021 | Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway widening to six lanes. Six-lane upgrade completed between Caloundra Road and Sunshine Motorway, including upgrades to both interchanges, and also included smart technologies.[58] |
Major upgrades: Cooroy to Rockhampton
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| May 1940 | Wallaville – Burnett River Bridge[citation needed] |
| 1956 | Isis River Bridge replacement |
| December 1967 | Ambrose to Raglan Deviation[citation needed] |
| 1971 | Coles Creek Deviation |
| April 1973 | Gunalda Bypass[citation needed] |
| 1974 | Gavial Deviation:
New road built from the southern end of Roope Road to Jellicoe Street, bypassing Port Curtis Road. A new Burnett Highway junction was built as well.[citation needed] |
| April 1975 | Calliope River Bridge[citation needed] |
| August 1976 | Bauple Bypass[citation needed] |
| May 1977 | Bajool Bypass[citation needed] |
| March 1979 | Mackenzie Creek Deviation Stage 1 (3.2 km north of Mackenzie Creek, Gootchie) |
| 1980 | Mackenzie Creek Deviation Stage 2 (1.6 km south of Mackenzie Creek, Gootchie) |
| 1982 | Mary Valley Road interchange |
| May 1984 | Howard-Torbanlea Deviation[citation needed] |
| 1985 | Curra deviation. 4.6 km of new road built to bypass a narrow railway bridge at Harvey Siding Road. |
| 7 October 1986 | Rockhampton Deviation:
New road built from the new Capricorn Highway roundabout to the existing Burnett Highway junction (built in 1974).[citation needed] |
| 14 September 1990 | Maryborough Bypass[citation needed] |
| 16 November 1991 | Glenwood Deviation. Old alignment now Shadbolt Road, Bolderrow Road and Murphys Road.[citation needed] |
| 5 July 1999 | Wallaville Deviation – Tim Fischer Bridge[citation needed] |
| 14 February 2001 | Gunalda Range Deviation. Old alignment now Bonnick Road and Davey Road[citation needed] |
| August 2011 | Isis River Bridge replacement, 1956 bridge replaced.[citation needed] |
| 18 December 2012 | Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section B[citation needed] |
| 28 October 2013 | Rockhampton – Yeppen North[citation needed] |
| 11 June 2014 | Calliope Interchange[citation needed] |
| 22 October 2015 | Rockhampton – Yeppen South[citation needed] |
| 5 May 2017 | Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section A[citation needed] |
| 9 November 2017 | Cooroy to Curra Upgrade Section C[citation needed] |
| May 2021 | Calliope River to Mount Larcom, improve safety.[59] |
| August 2021 | Gentle Annie Road to St Arnauds Creek.[60] |
| November 2021 | Wide Bay Highway intersection upgrade.[61] |
| January 2022 | Tinana overtaking lanes.[62] |
Major upgrades: Rockhampton to Townsville
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| 10 May 1973 | Bowen – Don River Bridge |
| January 1975 | Parkhurst – Ramsey Creek Bridge |
| 23 December 1977 | Mackay – Bakers Creek Deviation |
| 12 July 1980 | Mackay Deviation – Ron Camm Bridge |
| 16 August 1980 | Rockhampton Deviation – Neville Hewitt Bridge |
| 29 October 1982 | Marlborough–Sarina alignment change.[63] (Project commenced in 1974)[64] |
| September 1984 | Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=Bruce_Highway