Toowoomba Bypass?
Submitted: Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 10:23
ThreadID:
77706
Views:
5410
Replies:
4
FollowUps:
8
This Thread has been Archived
brushmarx
When travelling through
Toowoomba, the eastern approach on the
Warrego Highway is steep, slow, and if an accident happens, stopped for hours.
Approaching from the east is a
sign that indicates that a bypass through Murphys Creek is an option.
Does anyone have knowledge on whether this is a viable option, and does it minimise the 10% slope that exists?
Simple research shows that pilot tunnels for a proper bypass was conducted around 2006 or so, and funding of $33 million is in place, but the Main Roads website seems to show that no progress has been made. Personally, I would think that 700metres of volcanic tunnelling and kilometres of associated road upgrading would be far more expensive than $33M, and that would explain a lack of progress, but what is the existing route like?
Cheers
Ian
Reply By: Member - Jon W (Toowoomba QLD) - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 11:32
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 11:32
Ian,
Being a local, I can assure you that the Murphy's Creek option is far steeper and slower especially if you are towing anything substantial. That route also has severe length restrictions due to the windiness of the route. Unless the
Warrego is actually blocked and the diversion route through MC has been activated, I would be sticking to the
Warrego. As for the "new" crossing, don't hold your breath!
Jon W
AnswerID:
412879
Reply By: Camoco - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 13:19
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 13:19
Things are even more grim when you consider the money that has been "spent" aquiring properties along the length of the route.
The properties aquired are in limbo for the duration. They do not get paid until the project has been completed (or near enough) and then at the prices based on the start of the project (that is around 2006 prices). During this time the areas affected have grown considerably and are worth quite a bit more, but they will not get the value of that increase.
By the time the bypass is completed, the volume of traffic will have increased to such an extent that there will be no real visible reduction to the current flow on the range as it is now. The real benefit will be during traffic disruptions.
Even the amount of heavy vehicles will seem to have not reduced much by todays numbers given that the bypass is supposed to be a toll road, and any transports coming to
Toowoomba from the east will probably revert to the range rather than paying and backtracking from the west.
The $33m is just for the "feasibility" study for drilling the pilots and "aquiring" the lands surveyed.
As for the MC option, as stated earlier, it is a nice drive, but not a real option unless you have no other choice. I could also say the same for the southern option through Flagstone Creek. A nice drive but even steeper and windier.
Cheers
AnswerID:
412888
Follow Up By: Member - Old Girl (QLD) - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 22:10
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 22:10
Anna will have daylight saving in before that tunnel even starts. When I lived in
Toowoomba I didn't like the range but the MC road is so much longer. If you have a uhf you will hear about any hold ups way back at Gatton.
FollowupID:
682992
Follow Up By: Camoco - Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 07:05
Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 07:05
I agree with your thoughts on DLS before the bypass. Not that I want to revisit the argument, but why would we want DLS this far north?
I am sure it will come in whether because we don't need it and the bypass won't because we do!
If it has been a while since you have lived here, you will certainly notice the difference in traffic volume and size. In the last year alone, I have been surprised by the increase, especially Sundays. Not sure where the road train routes are, but they never used to include the range, however Sunday is the day for sneaking them down it seems. Once upon a time you never even saw any combos there now the length becomes the biggest issue when they start passing each other at the saddle doing 10-15 km/h and you are trying to keep the old girl down to 80.
FollowupID:
683008
Follow Up By: Member - Old Girl (QLD) - Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 18:56
Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 18:56
I was there last week but we enter from the western end. The traffic is unreal on James Street. As the area around
Chinchilla becomes more resourced it will only get worse. The James street stretch out the front of RACQ is such a bottleneck. My husband is one of those truck drivers you mentioned. He is heading back out west in two weeks to get away from the daily traffic hassles.
FollowupID:
683079
Reply By: brushmarx - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 13:52
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 13:52
Thanks people.
Except for a
tourist drive, it looks like I will have to stick to the existing highway.
It's hard to believe the Qld State Government hasn't followed this bypass through, it should be right up there with the
Mary River dam, and
Redcliffe railway.
Sorry, just joking.
Cheers
Ian
AnswerID:
412891
Follow Up By: Therifleman - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 15:58
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 15:58
To Brushmarx,I have towed my caravan "up the range" to
Toowoomba many times no dramas.I have an 18 ft. caravan,
well loaded.All the way in 2nd gear with a 3 litre Patrol.I was of the opinion that the by-pass road was for icey conditions as
well as accidents.Ayway you are up and over in 15 minutes.
Cheers, Mick.
FollowupID:
682928
Follow Up By: brushmarx - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 19:03
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 19:03
Thanks Mick
I've done the range with a CT, but my holidays are in mid December, and last time the 40 degree day resulted in a high temperature reading. Not obscenely high, but enough to turn off the A/C, buzz the windows down, turn the heater on, and hope the auto transmission cooler does its job.
Power wasn't a problem, just the high engine temp.
The engine cooled down after about 200 metres, so no real drama's, but if there was a viable alternate route, it would take the worry away.
I may have to drag the daughters horse and float up there on the way to
Roma soon, and that's much heavier than a CT. Luckily, that would be in the colder months.
Might have to invest in a scan gauge before next trip
Cheers
Ian
FollowupID:
682950
Follow Up By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 20:11
Wednesday, Apr 14, 2010 at 20:11
G/Day Ian
We towed our van up there last October, 2nd gear all the way, the auto transmission was a bit hot up the top, next time we will go via the
Cunninghams Gap a bit longer climb but not as steep.
FollowupID:
682970
Reply By: Member - Alan H (QLD) - Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 07:26
Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 07:26
A great alternative often used by caravans is to go via
Heifer Creek road. The gradient is much less and just as scenic.
Go through Gatton (do not take the bypass) and out the other side about 5km is the
Heifer Creek Road to the left. Signposted Clifton and maybe
Warwick.
Once up the top you hit the
Warwick -
Toowoomba road and it is a short flat drive into
Toowoomba.
This is a two lane bitumen road.
Alan
AnswerID:
412967
Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 07:46
Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 07:46
Just be aware 2 lane road doesn't mean it is wide everywhere :) It is a winding road, with rogue trucks using that route, which can be dangerous at some locations.
Andrew
FollowupID:
683013
Follow Up By: Camoco - Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:00
Thursday, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:00
It's a lot better than it used to be (or worse depending on your viewpoint). I used to ride bikes through there with a bit of steam up, but once they smoothed out the tight bends and widened the road a bit, the "rogues" started using it and it just became too dangerous for us looneis on two wheels.
Should be better with a van but I have not tried it.
It's a nice drive though and a great picnic spot before you start to climb.
FollowupID:
683022