Bruce Highway - Sarina to Cairns - Townsville Port Access Road

Project Description

The Townsville Port Access Road (TPAR) will provide a highway link (Bruce and Flinders Highways) to the Port of Townsville to support continuing economic growth, in particular, agricultural and mineral imports and exports through the port. The existing route to the port has operational constraints due to adjacent residential development. It has significant safety and amenity (noise and vibration) problems.

The works include:

• A 2.5 kilometre section, bypassing a portion of the Flinders Highway that passes through residential areas by connecting to the Bruce Highway south of Townsville. The design provides for two lanes at 80 km/hr, Q50 flood immunity and crossing of the Great Northern Railway.
• A 7.5 kilometre section of greenfield alignment from the Bruce Highway to the Townsville Port road network. The design provides for two lanes at 80 km/hr, Q50 flood immunity and crossing of the Ross River.

Benefits

The TPAR facilitates the import, export and the supply chain for north Queensland and the important north western mineral province around Mount Isa/Cloncurry, which will enable quicker, more reliable and cheaper access to the port. The TPAR will enhance important economic benefits to the national economy from existing industry and provide for the expected growth from within the northern growth triangle - Bowen to Townsville and inland to Mt Isa.

The TPAR also provides a more efficient connection between rural and remote communities to the port and from there to intrastate, interstate and international product markets.

Funding

The Australian Government has committed $95 million to the project, in partnership with the Queensland Government.

Timetable

Construction of the Townsville Port Access Road commenced in August 2008 and it is expected to be completed by mid 2012.