Warrego Highway
Warrego Highway | |
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Warrego Highway (green on black) | |
General information | |
Type | Highway |
Length | 715 km (444 mi) |
Route number(s) |
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Former route number | National Highway 54
National Highway A2 |
Major junctions | |
SE end | Ipswich Motorway / Cunningham Highway, Ipswich, Queensland |
| |
NW end | Mitchell Highway, Charleville, Queensland |
Location(s) | |
Major settlements | Toowoomba, Dalby, Miles, Roma, Mitchell, Morven |
Highway system | |
The Warrego Highway is located in southern Queensland, Australia. It connects coastal centres to the south western areas of the state, and is approximately 715 km in length. It takes its name from the Warrego River, which is the endpoint of the highway. The entire highway is part of the National Highway system linking Darwin and Brisbane: formerly National Highway 54, Queensland began to convert to the alphanumeric system much of Australia had adopted in the early-2000s and this road is now designated as National Highway A2.
Route description[]
The highway commences at the end of the M2 Ipswich Motorway, near Ipswich and runs to Helidon Spa, at the foot of the Great Dividing Range. From there it follows the Toowoomba Bypass to Charlton, west of Toowoomba. The Warrego then crosses the Darling Downs, bypassing the town of Oakey and then passing through the towns of Dalby, Chinchilla and Miles, in the Western Downs. The highway continues through the towns of Roma and Mitchell in the Maranoa Region of South West Queensland. After Morven, the A2 Route continues north-west along the Landsborough Highway, with the western turnoff continuing the Warrego Highway down to its terminus at Charleville.
The section of highway between Ipswich and Charlton is mostly motorway grade; a four lane divided highway with motorway-style on-ramps and off-ramps. At a point between Charlton and Oakey the highway merges from 4 to 2 lanes (however, throughout 2017-2019, the highway was planned to be duplicated up until Oakey)[1] Then, the highway mostly continues in a straight line with minimal turns. At Dalby, the highway briefly returns to 4 lanes (where a longer stretch of the highway was planned to be duplicated in 2017). The Warrego then continues as a rural 2 lane highway, until Charleville.
Terrain[]
The Warrego Highway's lowest point along its length is 3.69 m just east of where it crosses the Bremer River near Ipswich, and its highest elevation is at the top of the Great Dividing Range on the Toowoomba Bypass.[2]
Speed zones[]
- Ipswich Motorway - Blacksoil 100 km/h
- Blacksoil - Toowoomba Bypass merge 100 km/h, with a drop to 80 km/h and/or 60 km/h through some towns
- Great Dividing Range (Toowoomba Bypass to Charlton) 80 km/h to 100 km/h
- Charlton - Kingsthorpe 90 km/h
- Kingsthorpe - Dalby 100 km/h except through Jondaryan, which is 80 km/h.
- Dalby - 60 km/h
- Dalby - Charleville 100 km/h except running through towns, which speeds can drop to 60 km/h
Towns along the route[]
From east to west, the highway passes through or close to the cities and major towns of:
- Ipswich (Bypassed)
- Gatton (Bypassed)
- Toowoomba (Bypassed)
- Oakey (Bypassed)
- Dalby
- Chinchilla
- Miles
- Roma
- Mitchell
- Morven
- Charleville
Gallery[]
Highway at Haigslea, 2014
A signpost
History[]
In January 2011, the former highway was extensively damaged where it crossed the Toowoomba Range. This included land slips, shoulder and embankment erosion, the erosion of drains and damaged rock fall netting.[3] The road wasn't fully repaired with all four lanes open until September 2011.[4]
The Toowoomba Bypass was completed in September 2019 and bypasses the urban area of Toowoomba and provides a better crossing of the Great Dividing Range. Warrego Highway (A2) was rerouted via the bypass between Helidon Spa (in the east) and the interchange at Charlton (in the west). The bypass continues as the Gore Highway (A39) and is 41 km in length. The original section of Warrego Highway through Toowoomba was renamed Toowoomba Connection Road (A21).[5]
Future developments[]
Dalby Eastern & Western Access Upgrades[]
This section needs to be updated.(September 2021) |
These upgrades will begin in 2017 and will fully duplicate the highway to 4 lanes, between Cecil Plains Road and Black Street. 4 new traffic signals will be added at Black Street, Jandowae Road, Orpen Street and a pedestrian signal near Owen Street.
Other items of interest[]
Darren Lockyer Way[]
On 28 September 2011 the Queensland Main Roads Minister, Craig Wallace, announced that an 85 km stretch of the Warrego Highway was to be renamed Darren Lockyer Way, in honour of the retired Brisbane Broncos, Queensland and Australian rugby league captain. The section of road renamed is from Riverview to the bottom of the Toowoomba Range at Withcott. Special signage including "Welcome to Darren Lockyer Way" has been erected.[6]
Major intersections[]
LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ipswich | Riverview | 0 | 0.0 | Ipswich Motorway (National Route M2) - east – Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast Cunningham Highway (National Highway M15) - west - Dinmore | South-eastern end of Warrego Highway (State Route M2 / National Highway A2) |
Karalee / Chuwar / North Tivoli boundary | 6.3 | 3.9 | Mount Crosby Road (State Route 37) - north - Mount Crosby south - Tivoli | Modified diamond interchange. Part of Chuwar is in the Brisbane LGA. | |
Brassal / Muirlea boundary | 12.9 | 8.0 | Fernvale Road (State Route 38) - south - Brassall Pine Mountain Road - north - Pine Mountain | Modified diamond interchange. The road changes to National Highway A2 from this point. | |
Blacksoil / Ironbark / Karrabin boundary | 14.9– 15.8 | 9.3– 9.8 | Brisbane Valley Highway (National Route A17) - north - Fernvale Wulkuraka Connection Road - south - Wulkuraka | Modified diamond interchange. | |
Lockyer | Gatton | 55.9 | 34.7 | Eastern Drive (State Route 80) - south-west - Gatton Gatton Esk Road - north - Esk | Modified diamond interchange. |
Toowoomba | Helidon Spa | 79.5 | 49.4 | Toowoomba Connection Road (A21) – west – Toowoomba | No entry from Toowoomba Connection Road eastbound and no exit to Toowoomba Connection Road westbound (except via a U-turn facility further east on the Warrego Highway) Warrego Highway runs north-west on the Toowoomba Bypass |
Ballard | 94.6 | 58.8 | Eastern end of Multuggerah Viaduct | ||
Mount Kynoch | 95.4 | 59.3 | Western end of the viaduct, crossing the Main Line railway | ||
95.8 | 59.5 | New England Highway (A3) | Bridges over the bypass. No entry or exit here. See Mort Street interchange below. | ||
Harlaxton / Cranley midpoint | 96.7– 96.9 | 60.1– 60.2 | Bridge over Gowrie Creek, Western railway line and Hermitage Road. | ||
Cranley | 97.2– 97.9 | 60.4– 60.8 | Mort Street interchange[7] Hermitage Road – south-east – Toowoomba (via Mort Street) north-west – Cranley | Entry from and exit to New England Highway | |
100.1– 100.6 | 62.2– 62.5 | Boundary Street | Bridge over the bypass. Eastbound entry and westbound exit. | ||
Charlton | 105.7 | 65.7 | Toowoomba Connection Road (A21) – east – Toowoomba | T intersection; Warrego Highway turns west. Toowoomba Bypass continues south-west as Gore Highway (A39) | |
Oakey | 123.9 | 77.0 | Oakey Pittsworth Road (State Route 68) - north-east - Oakey | ||
Western Downs | Dalby | 175.9 | 109.3 | Dalby Cecil Plains Road (State Route 82) - south - Cecil Plains | Eastern concurrency terminus with State Route 82. |
179.3 | 111.4 | Bunya Highway (State Route 49) - north-east - Bell Condamine Street - south-west - Dalby | Eastern concurrency terminus with State Route 49. | ||
179.8 | 111.7 | Moonie Highway (State Route 49) - south-west - Moonie Nicholson Street - north-east - Dalby | Western concurrency terminus with State Route 49. | ||
180.5 | 112.2 | Jandowae Road (State Route 82) - north - Jandowae | Western concurrency terminus with State Route 82. | ||
Miles | 305.5 | 189.8 | Leichhardt Highway (State Route A5) - south - Condamine | Eastern concurrency terminus with Leichhardt Highway. | |
306.7 | 190.6 | Leichhardt Highway (State Route A5) - north - Wandoan | Western concurrency terminus with Leichhardt Highway. | ||
Maranoa | Roma | 440.7 | 273.8 | Carnarvon Highway (State Route A55) - south - Surat | Eastern concurrency terminus with Carnarvon Highway. |
446.7 | 277.6 | Carnarvon Highway (State Route A55) - north - Injune | Western concurrency terminus with Carnarvon Highway. | ||
Murweh | Morven | 627.7 | 390.0 | Landsborough Highway (National Highway A2) - north-west - Augathella | Warrego Highway continues west as Alternate National Highway A2. National Highway A2 continues north-west as Landsborough Highway. |
Charleville | 714.5 | 444.0 | Mitchell Highway (State Route A71) - north - Augathella south - Cunnamulla | North-western end of Warrego Highway. | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Warrego Highway Upgrade Program: Toowoomba to Oakey Duplication Stage 2 (Leeson Road to Kingsthorpe)". Queensland Government - Department of Transport and Main Roads. Queensland Government. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- ^ "Map of Warrego Highway in Queensland". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
- ^ "Reconstruction at Toowoomba Range crossing, Warrego Highway". Queensland Reconstruction Authority. Queensland Government. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "Toowoomba Range lanes reopen as part of Operation Queenslander". Media Statement. Queensland Government. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "Toowoomba Bypass". Department of Transport and Main Roads. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- ^ Robyn Ironside (28 September 2011). "Stretch of Warrego Highway named after Darren Lockyer". The Courier Mail.
- ^ "Mort Street interchange". Nexus Infrastructure. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
External links[]
Media related to Warrego Highway at Wikimedia Commons
- Highways in Queensland
- South East Queensland
- Darling Downs
- South West Queensland